PAN-Aadhaar linking final deadline: What does the CBDT rule say?

The last date to link your Permanent Account Number (PAN) card to your Aadhaar is September 30. Failing to do so might render your PAN card 'inoperative' from October 1 onwards.

As per a finance ministry notification dated March 31, 2019, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) issued clarifications regarding the deadline for linking of PAN with Aadhaar.

The release additionally specified that, regardless of the last date for the PAN-Aadhaar linking, it is mandatory for taxpayers to quote and link their Aadhaar number while filing income tax returns with effect from April 1, 2019, unless specifically exempted.

The deadline for the linking process has already been extended several times in the past.

Earlier, failure to link your PAN and Aadhaar cards by a specified date could lead to the PAN becoming invalid. However, as per the new rule, if the PAN card and Aadhaar are not linked by the end of this month, the PAN card would become 'inoperative’. The government is, however, yet to define what it means by the term 'inoperative'.

In order to link these two identity cards (PAN and Aadhaar), all you need to do is head to the Income Tax department's e-filing website. Under the Aadhaar linking, head, you can complete the process using your 12-digit Aadhaar number and 10-digit PAN number.