Importance of linking PAN with Aadhaar

Linking PAN with Aadhaar has become mandatory for Indian citizens, and failure to do so can result in your PAN becoming inoperative. The importance of linking your PAN with your Aadhaar can be summarized as follows:

• Mandatory requirement: Linking PAN with Aadhaar is mandatory as per Section 139AA of the Income Tax Act. Failure to do so could result in a penalty or even deactivation of your PAN.
• Preventing tax evasion: Linking PAN with Aadhaar helps prevent tax evasion by ensuring each PAN is linked to a unique Aadhaar number. This eliminates the creation of multiple PANs by individuals, which is illegal.
• e-Filing of income tax returns: Linking PAN with Aadhaar is mandatory for the e-filing of income tax returns. Without this, you may be unable to file your returns online.
• Availing government subsidies: Linking PAN with Aadhaar is necessary for availing various government subsidies, such as LPG subsidy, under the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme.
• Simplifies KYC process: Linking PAN with Aadhaar simplifies the Know Your Customer (KYC) process for various financial services like opening a bank account, applying for a loan, etc.

Linking Aadhaar with PAN online

Step 1: Visit the income tax e-filing portal.

Step 2: Click the "Link Aadhaar" option under the Quick Links section.

Step 3: Enter your PAN, Aadhaar number, name as per Aadhaar, the captcha code and the OTP received.

Step 4: Tick the box confirming that you have only the birth year mentioned in your Aadhaar card.

Step 5: Submit your request on the "Link Aadhaar" button.

Step 6: A pop-up message will appear, confirming the successful linking of your PAN with your Aadhaar.

Individuals falling under the following categories are exempted from linking their Aadhaar with their PAN card:

• Non-Resident Indians (NRIs)
• Individuals who are not citizens of India
• Individuals who are 80 years old or above as of the current date
• Individuals whose state of residence is Assam, Meghalaya or Jammu & Kashmir

Checking the status of Aadhaar linking with PAN

Step 1: Visit the income tax e-filing portal.

Step 2: Click the "Link Aadhaar" option under the Quick Links section.

Step 3: Click on the "Status" button.

Step 4: Enter your PAN and Aadhaar number.

Step 5: Click on the "View Link Aadhaar Status" button.

Step 6: The status of your Aadhaar linking with PAN will be displayed on the screen.

You can use this direct link to check the status of your Aadhaar-PAN card linkage. Enter your PAN and Aadhaar numbers and click on 'View Link Aadhaar Status'. The system will display the status of the linkage between your Aadhaar and PAN card on your screen.