The finance ministry has extended the last date for filing of income tax returns to a week to August 5 in wake of "unprecedented surge" in number of I-T returns being filed electronically. The due date was yesterday. "As a measure of taxpayers convenience, it has been decided to extend the due date of filing of returns from July 31 to August 5," said a finance ministry circular. As per the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), there has been an unprecedented surge in number of returns being e-filed. This year till July 30, about 92 lakh returns were electronically filed, which is 46.8 per cent higher than the returns e-filed during the corresponding period last fiscal.