New Delhi: The central government has extended the deadline for linking a PAN card with Aadhaar by three months. The last date announced earlier was March 31. You will get time till June 30. PAN cards not linked to Aadhaar will become inactive from July 1.

Earlier, the last date for Aadhaar PAN linking was March 31, 2022. Till then there was no fee to pay for Aadhaar-PAN linking. Meanwhile, a penalty of Rs 500 was levied for linking from April to June 30, 2022. A fine of Rs 1000 has been levied from July 1, 2022.

If Aadhaar and PAN card is not linked, then the PAN card will become inactive. This will hinder financial transactions. Also, income tax returns will not be filed.

1. You cannot file a return with an inactive PAN.
2. Pending returns will not be processed.
3. Pending refunds cannot be issued to inactive PAN card holders.
4. Paying tax at a higher rate as the PAN becomes inactive.

In addition to the above the taxpayer may face difficulties in banks and other financial portals. Because PAN is one of the important KYC criteria for all types of financial transactions.

How to link PAN Aadhaar by paying the fee?

According to the information on the Income Tax website, the fee can be paid in two ways.

1. For those who have accounts in Axis Bank, Bank of Baroda, Bank of India, Bank of Maharashtra, Canara Bank, Central Bank of India, City Union Bank, Federal Bank, ICICI Bank, IDBI Bank, Indian Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, IndusInd Bank, Jammu and Kashmir Bank, Karur Vysya, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Punjab National Bank, UCO Bank and Union Bank of India.

Note: Only those who have accounts with the above banks can pay the fine in this manner by Logging in to the e-filing website below:

https://eportal.incometax.gov.in/iec/foservices/#/e-pay-tax-prelogin/user-details

• Enter your PAN number and Aadhaar number
  Enter the PAN number and verify the OTP received through the registered mobile number
  Click the Proceed button
  Select Assessment year-`2023-24 and enter the Type of payment Rs.1000 and click continue

The website also says that when PAN Aadhaar is linked, it will take four to five days to complete the process.

2. To link PAN Aadhaar on payment of fees for customers of other banks not listed on the Income Tax website. Click on the e-filing website.

https://eportal.incometax.gov.in/iec/foservices/#/e-pay-tax-prelogin/user-details

• Enter the PAN number and verify the OTP received through the registered mobile number
• Click on Challan No./ITNS 280
• Click on (0021)Income Tax (other than companies) option (500) Select other receipts
• Select Assessment year (AY) 2023-24, enter other relevant information, and click proceed button.

Invalid PAN cardholders will have to apply for a new PAN card and link the new PAN card with their Aadhaar for financial transactions. CBDT Chairperson Nitin Gupta recently clarified that so far it has been linked with Aadhaar.

But for taxpayers who have done many transactions through old PAN cards earlier, it will be a big hassle. CBDT Chairperson Nitin Gupta recently stated that out of the total 61 crore PAN cards, 48 crore cards have been linked with Aadhaar so far.