Aadhaar - PAN link: What is the last date? What will happen if you miss the date?

There is a lot of buzz around linking of Aadhaar cardwith Permanent Account Number (PAN) card among Indians and the last date to link these two is June 30, 2021.

Earlier, the government had set March 31 as the deadlineto link the two documents after pushing it for many times due to Covid-19pandemic.

However, if the two cards will not be linked then yourPAN card will become “inoperative” and a penalty of Rs1,000 would be levied onit.

In its order regarding the extension of the last date,the government said on March 31, “Representations have been received fromtaxpayers that the last date for intimating the Aadhaar number may further beextended in the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Keeping in view thedifficulties faced by the taxpayers, the Central Government has issuednotification today extending the last date for the intimation of Aadhaar numberand linking thereof with PAN to 30th June 2021”.

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As the latest deadline is approaching, there areanticipations that government could extend it further due to the second-wave ofCovid-19. However, if it does not extend you should know the ways to link PANcard and Aadhaar number.

What are the different ways to link the two cards?

Linking PAN and Aadhaar via the income tax department’se-filing portal

The income tax department’s e-filing portal has a “LinkAadhaar” section on their list of services. When you click it, you will beredirected to another page where the user has to enter his correct detailssuch as name, PAN card number, Aadhaar number. Following this, the detailswould be validated and the two documents would be linked.

Through SMS

If you want to link the two cards through an SMS ratherthan a website, you have to send a text message from your registered mobilenumbers to 567678 or 56161. However, you will have to follow a specific formatto send the SMS which is as follows – UIDPAN (12-digit Aadhaar Number)(10-digit PAN)

Visiting a nearby PAN service center

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If you wish to link the two cards manually then you canvisit the nearest PAN service center. There you will have to fill a form named‘Annexure-I’ and along with it you should submit a copy of the PAN card andAadhaar card. You should not that this is a paid service, unlike the other twoonline services. Users are required to pay the prescribed fees for linking thetwo documents manually.