Did you know you can link your Aadhaar card with Permanent Account Number (PAN) online? The Income Tax Department enables users to link the two identification numbers online through a tool on its website. It is now mandatory to link the Aadhaar number - also known as Unique Identity Number (UID) - with PAN for income tax purposes. Aadhaar is a 12-digit number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) whereas PAN is a 10-digit alphanumeric number allotted by the Income Tax Department.
Here's a step-by-step guide to link your Aadhaar Number with your PAN through the Income Tax Department's e-filing portal:
Click on the "Link Aadhaar" option on the e-filing website - www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in.
On the next page, enter your Permanent Account Number, your Aadhaar Number and full name (as given on Aadhaar) in the designated fields, among other details.
Select relevant options and click on the "Link Aadhaar" button at the bottom of the page.
Last year, the Supreme Court declared the Centre's flagship Aadhaar scheme as constitutionally valid and held that the biometric ID would remain mandatory for the filing of income tax returns (ITRs) as well as the allotment of PAN.
According to Section 139 AA (2) of the Income Tax Act, every person having PAN as on July 1, 2017, and eligible to obtain Aadhaar, must intimate the Aadhaar number to tax authorities.