Highlights:
- Today (March 31, 2021) is the last day to link your Aadhaar card to your Permanent Account Number (PAN) card.
- Linking the two is necessary for certain services, according to a notification from the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).
- A fine of up to ₹ 1,000 will be levied for late payment.
The deadline to connect Aadhaar and PAN cards will expire on March 31, 2021 unless the government extends the deadline again. After the deadline, all such PAN cards that are not connected to Aadhaar will be rendered useless and deemed “inoperative.” If your PAN isn’t connected to your Aadhaar, you won’t be able to do any financial transactions that include a PAN starting April 1st.
Deadline for linking PAN card with Aadhaar card:
According to the most recent government notification, the deadline for linking your PAN card to your Aadhaar card has been extended until March 31, 2021. The deadline for linking PAN and Aadhaar was previously set for June 30, 2020.
Consequences for not link PAN with Aadhaar:
The government has introduced an amendment to the Finance Bill, 2021, which was passed by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, under which a late fee would be charged to a person, under which an individual will be liable to pay a late fee of up to ₹ 1,000 if their PAN is not linked to their Aadhar card.
A new Section 234H of the Finance Bill (Lok Sabha) has been added to impose a fee for failing to imitate the Aadhaar number. If a person is required to imitate his Aadhaar under Section 139AA(2) and fails to do so, he or she will be liable to pay a penalty, as defined by the government, not exceeding ₹ 1,000 at the time of intimation.
This means that anyone who fails to link their PAN and Aadhaar by March 31 will be charged a fee of ₹ 1,000. This fee is in addition to the other consequences that a person will face if their PAN becomes inactive due to Aadhaar non-maintenance.
Also Read: IMPORTANT: Income Tax Return Filing Last Date Is 31st March, Here Is How To File ITR Online
How to link PAN with Aadhaar card online or by SMS:
Online: By visiting the website of the PAN service providers, you can conveniently connect the two documents online (i.e., www.tin-nsdl.com or www.utiitsl.com). Click the ‘Link Aadhaar to PAN’ tab that will direct you to the official website of income-tax. You can also link your PAN with Aadhaar by visiting directly the e-filing website (www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in).
SMS: If you find linking Aadhaar with PAN via the income tax department’s e-filing website too difficult, you can do so by sending a simple SMS. You can send an SMS to either NSDL e-Governance Infrastructure Limited or UTI Infrastructure Technology and Services Limited, which are both PAN service providers (UTIITL). To link your pan card with your Aadhaar card, send an SMS with the following format to 567678 or 56161 from your registered mobile number: UIDPANSPACE>12 Digit Aadhaar Number>SPACE>10 Digit PAN>. UIDPAN 123456789000 EPOPE1234E, for example. This service is provided free of charge by NSDL and UTI. SMS charges imposed by the mobile provider, however, will apply.
Linking Aadhaar card with PAN manually:
To manually link the documents, go to a PAN card service centre and fill out the ‘Annexure-I’ form. Attach a copy of your PAN and Aadhaar card to the form. A fee is paid for manually linking documents, as compared to online linking, which is free.
Pan-Aadhaar link status check online:
1. Go to www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in which is an e-filing website.
2. Select ‘Link Aadhaar’ from the ‘Quick Links’ menu on the left side of the screen.
3. On the ‘Link Aadhaar’ page that opens, click on the hyperlink ‘Click here to view the status if you have already submitted a Link Aadhaar request’ at the top of the page.
4. Fill in your personal details, such as your PAN and Aadhaar number, on the next page. Click ‘View Link Aadhaar Status’ after entering your details.
5. This procedure will determine whether or not your PAN is connected to Aadhaar. If your PAN is linked to Aadhaar, the message “Your PAN is linked to Aadhaar number xxxx xxxx xxxx” will appear on the page.
Consequences of not linking PAN and Aadhaar:
If you fail to link the two documents by the deadline and your PAN becomes inactive, it will be presumed that you have not submitted your PAN as required by law, and you may be subject to a penalty of ₹ 10,000 under Section 272B of the Income Tax Act. If you use your PAN card as identification for non-tax reasons, such as opening a bank account or applying for a driver’s licence, you should not be penalised.
