It is compulsory to link the Aadhaar number with PAN to complete income-tax-related tasks (File)
New Delhi:
The last date for linking one’s Aadhaar number with PAN (Permanent Account Number) has been extended once again from March 31 to June 30, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Income Tax Department said on Wednesday. Earlier, the government had said that the deadline for linking the two identification cards was March 31, and had set a fine of Rs 1,000 for missing the date as per the new section ’23H’ of the Finance Bill 2021. PAN cards not linked with Aadhaar cards before the last date were likely to become inactive.
The Aadhaar is a 12-digit number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). The PAN is a 10-digit alphanumeric number and is allotted by the Income Tax department.
The PAN Card can be easily linked to the Aadhaar number online. The Income Tax department allows users to link the two unique identification numbers through a simple tool on its website. Also, it is compulsory to link the Aadhaar number with PAN to complete income-tax-related tasks such as filing returns on income. The two identification numbers can also be linked through the official website of National Securities Depository Limited – https://www.tin-nsdl.com/
The deadline for linking Aadhaar and PAN has been extended multiple times in the past.
The Supreme Court had in September 2018 declared the government’s flagship Aadhaar scheme as constitutionally valid and held that quoting of the Unique Identity Number (UID) would remain mandatory for filing of income tax returns and allotment of PAN.
In the first Budget of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s second term, the government allowed interchangeability of Aadhaar with PAN under income tax rules.
Assessees can now file their income tax returns by furnishing Aadhaar instead of PAN. However, in such cases, the PAN is generated automatically.