Draft Income-tax Rules 2026 and new forms out: What changes for taxpayers?
India Today
The drafts have been opened for public comments for 15 days, until February 22, 2026. The tax department has invited taxpayers, professionals and industry bodies to review the proposals and share feedback, saying the aim is to make the rule-making process more participative and practical.
India’s income tax system is set for a major reset from April 1, 2026. The Income Tax Department has released the draft Income-tax Rules, 2026 along with draft tax return forms, offering the first clear look at how the new Income-tax Act, 2025 will work in practice.
The drafts have been opened for public comments for 15 days, until February 22, 2026. The tax department has invited taxpayers, professionals and industry bodies to review the proposals and share feedback, saying the aim is to make the rule-making process more participative and practical.
The release of draft rules marks an important transition towards the new income tax law. While the Act sets out the broad legal framework, the rules and forms decide how the system functions on the ground.
According to the tax department, the new framework is built around four goals: simpler compliance, less ambiguity, better use of technology and a lower burden on taxpayers. Officials say the redesign is meant to make tax filing easier to understand and more efficient for both individuals and businesses.
One of the biggest changes is a complete redesign of income tax return (ITR) forms.
The tax department says the new forms are being turned into “smart forms” with features such as pre-filled information, automated matching of data and centralised processing. Common details have been standardised across different forms so that taxpayers do not have to repeat the same information again and again.
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