New Delhi, Sept. 19 -- The gross direct tax collections in 2026-27 up to September 17 jumped over 15% on an annualised basis to around Rs.14.32 lakh crore with net revenue after refunds increasing by approximately 13% to Rs.12.12 lakh crore due to stronger receipts from all key segments, according to government data released on Friday. The gross direct tax collection in the first six months of the current financial year (April 1-September 17 of FY27) increased 15.19% to Rs.1,432,437.43 crore compared to Rs.1,243,582.45 crore in the same period of the previous fiscal year (FY26). After refunds, net direct tax revenue surged by 12.96% to Rs.1,212,410.71 crore in FY27 (up to September 17) compared to Rs.1,073,272.17 crore in the same period last fiscal year. Total refunds in the said period of 2026-27 were Rs.220,026.72 crore as against Rs.170,310.28 crore in the corresponding period of 2025-26, registering a 29.19% jump, official data showed. Advance tax collections for 2026-27 (as on September 17) also saw a robust 16.18% growth at Rs.521,940.72 crore compared to Rs.449,256.41 crore collected in the same period of the previous financial year. Corporate advance tax collection saw a 18.09% year-on-year surge during this period at Rs.416,083.59 crore. Non-corporate advance tax in this period saw a 9.24% annualised increase at Rs.105,856.69 crore during the said period. "Direct tax collections continue to signal healthy underlying economic activity and the strength of the tax base. While higher refunds have moderated net tax collection growth, they also reflect improved efficiency in refund processing, ensuring timely relief and liquidity for taxpayers," said Richa Sawhney, partner-tax, Grant Thornton Bharat....