New Delhi: The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Chairman, Ravi Agrawal, has confirmed that the reason for the delay in processing many income tax refunds for the assessment year 2024-25 is the heightened scrutiny of certain claims flagged by the system. He stated that refunds involving “high-value” or otherwise “red-flagged” deductions are under extra verification, which is slowing the process.
Agrawal clarified that refunds for smaller or straightforward claims are still being processed and released. “Low-value refunds are being released,” he explained, adding that the department found several cases where incorrect deductions or inflated claims were being made. He expressed hope that the remaining valid refunds would be cleared by November or December.
Data shared by the department shows that from April 1 to November 10 of the current fiscal, the total value of refunds issued exceeded approximately Rs 2.42 lakh crore, but this marked a decline of around 18 percent compared to the same period last year. The drop is attributed to the lower number of claims and greater verification.
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The CBDT is also focusing on reducing the backlog of direct tax appeals. Agrawal noted that more than 40% more appeals have been disposed of this year compared to last, thanks to efforts by appellate authorities working “overtime.”
For taxpayers anxious about pending refunds, the chairman urged them to review their returns and submit a revised return if they had omitted or misstated any information — a step that can speed up processing.
In summary, the delay in tax refunds this year is largely due to additional scrutiny of high-value and flagged claims, rather than a system breakdown. Taxpayers with simple, clean filings can expect their refunds soon, while larger claims may take longer owing to verification and compliance checks.
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