In the wake of difficulties being faced by the taxpayers amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the central government recently extended the last date to link the Permanent Account Number (PAN) with the Aadhaar card to June 30.
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According to a notification from the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), linking the two is mandatory for availing of certain services. If the two are not linked by the stipulated deadline, then PAN may become 'inoperative'. This means that users will no longer be able to conduct any financial transactions where quoting PAN is mandatory.
The government is also mulling a late fee of up to Rs 1,000 if PAN and Aadhaar are not linked as the Lok Sabha, last week, passed the Finance Bill, 2021, where a new section 234H — with the fine clause — has been inserted.
For those who haven’t done so yet, here’s a step-by-step process:
Visit the Income Tax (I-T) Department e-filing portal (incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in).
Go to the ‘Link Aadhaar’ option on the left side of the page opened after logging in.
You will be taken to a page wherein you will have to fill up your details. Before that, you can check if you have already linked your PAN with Aadhaar by clicking on the link “View Aadhaar link status” at the top of the page. You can check by putting your PAN and Aadhaar numbers in the concerned boxes and clicking on the “View Aadhaar link status” bar. If it is already linked, you will get a message, “Your PAN is linked to Aadhaar Number”.
If not registered, go back and fill the online form with the required details like PAN and Aadhaar numbers, name as per your Aadhaar card. You will also get an option to declare if your year of birth is mentioned only on the Aadhaar card.
Then you will have to click on a box saying, “I agree to validate my Aadhaar” and enter the captcha code seen on your screen. Visually challenged applicants can request a one-time password (OTP).
Finally, click on “Link Aadhaar” button. You will get a message that the request “has been sent to UADAI” for validation. You can check the status later by logging in the above-mentioned portal.Things to keep in mind while linking PAN card with Aadhaar card
Name, date of birth and gender as per the PAN card will be validated against the Aadhaar details.
Ensure that the Aadhaar number and “name as per Aadhaar” should be exactly as per the Aadhaar card. Avoid any spelling mistake in name.
If there is a mismatch between the PAN details like name, date of birth and gender, and the ones mentioned on Aadhaar, you need to get the same corrected in either of the documents.Benefits of linking PAN and Aadhaar
If your PAN and Aadhaar are not linked, then you may not be able to use PAN for financial transactions like opening a bank account or availing monetary benefits such as a pension, scholarships, LPG subsidy and so on.
What to do if PAN details are not matching with the PAN database?
If the PAN details such as name and date of birth do not match with the database, you can apply online to make corrections.
First, you will have to visit the official website of NSDL e-Governance, https://www.egov-nsdl.co.in/
Click on “PAN” under the “Services” section.
Then click “Apply” under the “Change/Correction in PAN Data” section.
Select “Changes or Correction in existing PAN data/Reprint of PAN Card (No changes in Existing PAN Data)” from the “Application Type” dropdown menu.
Select the correct “Category”.
Now, enter your name, date of birth, email address, and mobile number.
Fill in the captcha and click on “Submit”.
A Token Number will be sent to your email ID. You can continue the process by clicking the concerned button below.
You will be redirected to the form. Click on “Submit scanned images through e-Sign on NSDL e-gov”.
Fill in all other necessary details such as father’s name, mother’s name (optional), Aadhaar number and click on “Next”.
You will now be redirected to a new page where you can update your address.
Upload all the necessary documents such as an address, age, and identity proofs, besides the PAN.
Sign the declaration and click “Submit”.
You will be redirected to the payment page. Payment can be made through a demand draft, net banking, and Credit card/Debit card.
On successful payment, an acknowledgment slip will be generated. Take a printout of it and send it to the NSDL e-gov office, along with the copies of the physical proof of the above-mentioned documents. Also, affix a photograph in the space provided and sign across it. Write “Application for PAN Change” on top of the envelope, along with the acknowledgment number.
