Waiting for your income tax refund for 6 months or more is frustrating, and unfortunately, very common. In FY 2024-25 alone, the CPC (Centralised Processing Centre) Bangalore processed over 8 crore ITRs — and a meaningful percentage hit delays that were entirely fixable by the taxpayer. Here is exactly why your refund is stuck and how to unlock it.
First: Check Your Refund Status
Before assuming anything, log into the Income Tax e-Filing portal (incometax.gov.in) → My Account → Refund/Demand Status.
You'll see one of these:
Refund Issued** — check your bank account, it may have credited:
Refund Paid / Refund Failed** — credited but returned by bank:
Processed with Refund Due** — released but stuck at the bank:
Processed with No Demand, No Refund** — your refund has been adjusted against an old demand:
Under Processing** — CPC hasn't processed your ITR yet:
Refund Awaited** — being processed at SBI CMP (refund banker):
The 7 Reasons Your Refund Is Stuck
1. ITR Not E-Verified Within 30 Days
This is the #1 reason. Filing the ITR is not enough — you must e-verify within 30 days (shortened from 120 days for ITRs filed on or after 1 August 2022). If you missed this, your ITR is treated as not filed.
Fix: Log in → e-Verify Return → use Aadhaar OTP, net banking, DSC, or EVC. If the 30 days have already lapsed, you must file a condonation request under Section 119(2)(b).
2. Bank Account Not Pre-Validated
From March 2019, refunds are credited only to pre-validated and EVC-enabled bank accounts linked with your PAN.
Fix: Profile → My Bank Account → add account → pre-validate (1–2 days) → enable EVC. Make sure the name on the bank account exactly matches your PAN name.
3. Refund Failure — Wrong Bank Account or IFSC
If the bank account was closed, IFSC changed (post bank merger — SBI, PNB, Union Bank etc.), or name mismatch occurred.
Fix: Pending Actions → Refund Re-issue Request → select a valid, pre-validated account.
4. Adjusted Against Old Outstanding Demand (Section 245)
CPC may adjust your current year refund against an outstanding demand from earlier years — often from a year you don't even remember.
Fix: Log in → Pending Actions → Response to Outstanding Demand. You can:
Agree and allow adjustment, OR
Disagree with reason — if you've already paid, challenged, or the demand is incorrect
If you don't respond within 30 days of the Section 245 intimation, CPC adjusts it automatically.
5. Tax Mismatch — Form 26AS / AIS / TIS Discrepancy
If the TDS you claimed in your ITR doesn't match Form 26AS, AIS, or the TIS summary, CPC holds the refund until reconciliation.
Fix: Compare your ITR with the current 26AS and AIS. If TDS was not deposited by your deductor, contact them to file/revise their TDS return. You may need to file a revised return (ITR-U or Section 139(5)) with corrected figures.
6. Defective Return Notice — Section 139(9)
CPC flags defects — missing balance sheet, unreported income, mismatched schedules. You receive a notice under Section 139(9) via email.
Fix: Respond within the 15-day window (extendable) with a corrected JSON. If ignored, the ITR becomes "invalid" and no refund will be issued.
7. Refund Amount > ₹50,000 — Manual Review
Large refunds (especially above ₹50,000 for salaried and ₹1 lakh for business) trigger additional manual scrutiny. Nothing is wrong; CPC takes longer — typically 3 to 9 months.
Fix: Patience + follow-up. You can raise a grievance after 90 days.
How to Escalate a 6+ Month Delay
Step 1: Raise a Grievance on the Portal
e-Nivaran → Submit Grievance → select "Refund Related" → describe specifics → attach supporting documents.
Typical response time: 15 – 30 days.
Step 2: Email CPC Directly
Email: efilingwebmanager@incometax.gov.in and cc refunds@incometax.gov.in
Include: PAN, Acknowledgement number, AY, filing date, e-verification date, and the current status screenshot.
Step 3: Call CPC Helpline
1800-103-0025 (toll-free)
1800-419-0025
+91-80-2630-0025 / +91-80-4612-2000
Timings: 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM (Mon–Fri); 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Sat)
Step 4: File a Rectification Under Section 154
If you see a processing error in the intimation under Section 143(1) — wrong TDS credit, incorrect deduction denial, computation error — file a Rectification Request under Section 154 with the correct figures.
Step 5: Approach the Income Tax Ombudsman
If CPC and grievance cells don't resolve it within 3 months of complaint, escalate to the Income Tax Ombudsman in your jurisdiction (for Tamil Nadu, Chennai office). This is free and binding on the department.
What If It's Still Stuck After 12 Months?
You are entitled to interest under Section 244A @ 0.5% per month (6% p.a.) on the delayed refund, from 1 April of the AY until the date of actual credit. This is automatic but worth confirming — mention it in your grievance.
Prevention — File Smart Next Time
1. File ITR well before 31 July (for non-audit cases)
2. E-verify immediately on the same day
3. Pre-validate at least two bank accounts
4. Reconcile 26AS, AIS, TIS before filing
5. Clear any Section 245 demand response the moment you receive it
Need Help Recovering Your Stuck Refund in Coimbatore?
WINTRUST SOLUTIONS has helped hundreds of salaried professionals, freelancers, and businesses in Coimbatore unlock delayed refunds — some pending 2+ years. We handle e-verification, condonation requests, Section 245 responses, rectifications, and ombudsman escalations. If your refund is stuck, WhatsApp us your PAN and AY — we'll tell you exactly why and how to get it released.