The deadline to link PAN with Aadhaar has been extended to 31 March 31 next year, the Central Board of Direct Taxation said on Monday, a day ahead of the earlier deadline of 31 December.
The Income Tax Department had, in September, extended the deadline for linking PAN with Aadhaar for the seventh time for the public to link the two identification numbers.
"The due date for linking of PAN with Aadhaar as specified under sub-section 2 of section 139AA of the Income-tax Act, 1961 has been extended from December 31, 2019 to March 31, 2020," it said.
As per a directive from the Income Tax Department, it is mandatory for taxpayers to connect Permanent Account Number (PAN) with the Aadhaar card.
PAN is a 10-digit alphanumeric number issued the Income Tax department. People failing to meet the deadline will no longer be able to file their income tax returns and their PAN will become inoperative.
If the PAN is not linked with Aadhaar by the extended deadline, then as per current laws, PAN card will become inoperative. The rule regarding the consequences of not linking PAN with Aadhaar was revised in the 2019 Budget.
However, for Indian expats the deadline stands unchanged and they will have to link their Aadhaar Card by31 December 2019, or else it will be treated as inoperative. While a non-resident Indian (NRI) is not required to have an Aadhaar card or a PAN, it is mandatory to link them by 31 December if one has them.
A public notice was issued on 28 December asking for linking an Indian resident`s PAN with his/her Aadhaar card before 31 December.
An NRI with financial dealings back home is advised to have both a PAN card and an Aadhaar. The deadline for the linkage was extended till 31 December 2019 from an earlier deadline of 30 September 2019. As per government rules, a PAN card is mandatory for NRIs if they have a taxable income in India or want to make investments in the country.