In a recent announcement by the Income Tax Department said that the Personal Account Numbers (PANs) that are not linked to Aadhaar by March 31, 2023, will become Inoperative from April 1.
"As per Income-tax Act, 1961, it is mandatory for all PAN holders, who do not fall under the exempt category, to link their PAN with Aadhaar before March 31, 2023. From April 1, 2023, the unlinked PAN shall become inoperative," the Income Tax department said in a public advisory.
Aadhaar card is issued to every Indian citizen, which has a unique 12-digit number assigned by Unique Identification Authority (UIDAI). It is an identification number that facilitates access to the cardholder's records from the government database, including contact information and biometric data.
Aadhaar registration is open to every Indian, regardless of age or gender and the enrollment process is cost-free. Once a person enrolls, the database retains their information forever. Aadhaar numbers are unique to each individual.
The income tax division must be notified if you have a PAN and are eligible for an Aadhaar number or already have one. The PAN-Aadhar linking will help you do this and if failed the PAN will become inoperative.
Here are steps to link your PAN Card with Aadhar Card
1. Go to https://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/ to access the income tax e-filing portal.
2. Register for it (if not already done). Your user ID will be your PAN (Permanent Account Number).
3. To log in, enter your User ID, password, and birth date.
4. You will be prompted to link your PAN and Aadhaar in a pop-up window. If not, click "Link Aadhaar" under "Profile Settings" in the menu bar.
5. Enter information such as name, date of birth, and gender; these details will already be shown according to the information provided at the time of registration on the e-filing portal. Enter your Aadhaar number and name as it appears on Aadhaar. Compare the PAN details displayed on the screen with those on your Aadhaar. Please take note that if there is a mismatch, the same needs to be addressed in both documents.
The "I accept to have my Aadhaar details validated" check box must be clicked in order to give your consent. If your Aadhaar card only has the year of your birth, click the box that reads, "I have only the year of birth on my Aadhaar card."
6. Click the "link now" button after entering your Aadhaar number if the details are correct.
7. A pop-up message will inform you that your Aadhaar and PAN have been successfully linked.
