Government extends deadline for linking PAN-Aadhaar by 3 months till June 30

The government on Wednesday extended the deadline for linking PAN with biometric Aadhaar by three months till June 30.

The income tax department said it had received representations from taxpayers that the last date for intimating the Aadhaar number may further be extended in the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

"Keeping in view the difficulties faced by the taxpayers, the Central Government has issued a notification today, extending the last date for the intimation of Aadhaar number and linking thereof with PAN to June 30, 2021," the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said.

In a tweet, the income tax department said the last date has been extended from March 31 to June 30, 2021.

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In June last year, the government had extended the deadline for linking them till March 31, 2021.

With the Finance Bill 2021 passed last week, the government has added a new Section 234H, which talks about the penalty.

The bill says, "Without prejudice to the provisions of this Act, where a person is required to intimate his Aadhaar number under sub-section (2) of section 139AA and such person fails to do so on or before such date, as may be prescribed, he shall be liable to such fee, as may be prescribed, not exceeding one thousand rupees, at the time of making intimation under sub-section (2) of section 139AA after the said date."

As per data available, till August last year 32.71 crore PANs were linked to the biometric ID. The total PAN allotment as on June 29, 2020, stood at 50.95 crore.

The government has already made quoting of Aadhaar mandatory for filing income tax returns (ITRs) as well as obtaining a new Permanent Account Number ( PAN).

A person who does not link their PAN with Aadhaar will have to pay a penalty up to Rs 1,000. This penalty is as per the new Section 234H of the Income-tax Act. The amendment was introduced in the Finance Bill 2021. 

If PAN and Aadhaar are not linked by the last date, which is June 30 now, the former will be termed invalid. 

(Disclaimer: Additional background information has been added to this PTI copy for context)