PAN-Aadhaar linking: Today (March 31) is the last date for linking the Permanent Account Number (PAN) to Aadhaar. Any failure to do so will make PAN cards inoperative or no longer in use from April 1. This will affect customers as they will not be allowed to carry out transactions wherever quoting of PAN is mandatory. Such customers may also face a penalty of Rs 1,000 as per the Finance Bill, 2021.
The Finance Bill was passed by the Parliament earlier this month. The government inserted a new section – 234H in the Bill. This section says that “Without prejudice to the provisions of this Act, where a person is required to intimate his Aadhaar number under sub-section (2) of section 139AA and such person fails to do so on or before such date, as may be prescribed, he shall be liable to pay such fee, as may be prescribed, not exceeding one thousand rupees (Rs 1,000), at the time of making intimation under sub-section (2) of section 139AA after the said date.”
As per the new rule, the government has made it mandatory to furnish Aadhaar card while applying for a new PAN card. In case of new PAN card applicants, interlinking is done automatically at the application stage.
For existing PAN cardholders, however, interlinking has to be done manually before the set deadline. PAN card holders are, therefore, advised to link PAN with Aadhaar to avoid any penalty.
How to link your PAN with Aadhaar Online:
* Visit Income Tax e-filing portal incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in
* Click on Link Aadhaar button on the Menu bar
* Enter required details like PAN number, Aadhaar card holder name and number
* Verify the details and enter Captcha Code and click on Link Aadhaar
* A pop-up message will appear. It will inform you that your Aadhaar has been successfully linked to your PAN.
PAN-Aadhaar link via SMS
If you want to link Aadhaar and PAN via an SMS, you will have to send an SMS at 567678 or 56161. Format of the SMS should be like this:
‘UIDAIPAN(12digit Aadhaar number) space (10 digit PAN Number).’
Earlier in September 2018, the Supreme Court had declared Aadhaar as constitutionally valid and held that the biometric ID will remain a mandatory document for the filing of income tax returns and allotment of PAN cards.
