Raghav Chadha pitches for joint tax filing for married couples to improve tax equity

Rajya Sabha member Raghav Chadha has proposed allowing an optional joint filing of income tax returns (ITR) for married couples, arguing that the current income tax framework unfairly penalises families where only one spouse earns.

Raising the issue in Parliament, Chadha said the tax system treats a married couple as two separate individuals even though they run a single household and share expenses.

“In Parliament today I proposed optional joint filing of Income Tax Returns for married couples," Chadha said in a post on X.