PAN Card Aadhaar Card Linkage Deadline Extended by 6 Months to September 30

PAN card Aadhaar card link deadline has been pushed forward from its March 31 date, marking yet another reprieve for those who hadn't linked it yet. The government on Sunday extended the deadline for linking PAN (Permanent Account Number) with biometric ID Aadhaar by 6 months till September 30, as per an official statement. However, the CBDT clarified that it is mandatory to quote and link the Aadhaar number while filing the return of income with effect from April 1. This is the sixth time the government has extended the PAN card Aadhaar card link deadline.  

To recall, in June last year, the government had said that PAN has to be linked with the biometric Aadhaar ID by March 31. The earlier deadlines for PAN card Aadhaar card link were July 31, August 31, and December 31 of 2017, before March 31, 2018, June 30, 2018, and March 31, 2019.

"....now the cut-off date for intimating the Aadhaar number and linking PAN with Aadhaar is September 30, 2019, unless specifically exempted," the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said in a statement.

The CBDT said there were reports that those PANs which are not linked with Aadhaar number by March 31 may be invalidated, following which the matter was considered by the government and the date extended till September 30.

"Notwithstanding the last date of intimating/ linking of Aadhaar Number with PAN being September 30, 2019, it is also made clear that w.e.f. April 1, 2019, it is mandatory to quote and link Aadhaar number while filing the return of income," it added.

The apex court, in September last year, had declared the Centre's flagship Aadhaar scheme as constitutionally valid and held that the biometric ID would remain mandatory for filing of IT returns and allotment of PAN.

A five-judge constitution bench had, however, said that it would not be mandatory to link Aadhaar to bank accounts and telecom service providers cannot seek its linking for mobile connections.

Till September last year, of the 41 crore PANs issued, over 21 crore were linked to Aadhaar, furthering the government's PAN card Aadhaar card link initiative.

The Supreme Court in its order upheld section 139AA of the Income Tax Act.

Section 139AA (2) of the Income Tax Act says that every person having PAN as on July 1, 2017, and eligible to obtain Aadhaar, must intimate their Aadhaar number to the tax authorities.

Written with inputs from PTI