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Every year, waiting for income tax refund becomes the biggest tension for crores of people. The government has speeded up the processes, but delays and unclear information are still a big problem. That is why this time taxpayers are pinning hopes on the real-time refund tracking feature in Budget 2026.
New Delhi. Income tax refund is considered to be the most stressful part of tax season every year. Lakhs of people in the country, from employed employees to small businessmen, freelancers and senior citizens, keep waiting for refund after filing returns. According to the latest data, a total of 8.21 crore ITRs have been filed till November 26, 2025, out of which 8.1 crore have been verified. But only 6.98 crore returns have been completed at the processing level. This means that 1.11 crore tax filers are still waiting for their refund. This difference has further intensified the demand for real-time tracking feature.
Big suggestion given for Budget 2026: Real-time tracker is necessary
Deloitte India, in its pre-Budget 2026 suggestions, has strongly recommended implementing a ‘real-time refund tracking system’ on the income tax portal. Currently, the statuses visible on the portal – like ‘processed’, ‘under verification’, ‘sent to bank’ or ‘on hold’ – do not resolve the taxpayer’s confusion. When the refund is stuck, it is not known at what stage the matter is stuck, when it will be resolved or whether any additional documents are required. Deloitte suggests that the refund tracker should be similar to what is seen in courier tracking – step-by-step, clear and with timelines.
Taxpayer’s biggest demand – transparency, deadline and easy complaint resolution
In the past months, the CBDT Chairman had also admitted that some high-value or red flagged refund cases were being delayed due to additional scrutiny. But the problem of common taxpayers is not just delay but lack of information. The live tracker will let them know at what stage the refund is, how much time it will take and whether any action is expected from them. According to Deloitte, this will automatically resolve 70 percent of the complaints. Also, integration of ‘escalate issue’ button, SMS-email alerts and complaint system on the portal can make it completely user-friendly.
Why this feature will prove to be a game-changer
With the introduction of real-time tracking, taxpayers’ worries will be reduced, unnecessary panic and rumors spreading on social media will also reduce. This will reduce helpline calls and complaints, which will benefit both the department and the taxpayer. The important thing is that this facility already exists in countries like America and Britain, so it is not difficult to implement it in India. Along with this, Deloitte has also sought to reduce the complexity of TDS on NRI property transactions, in which buyers currently have to face everything from TAN number to high TDS and lengthy procedures.
