The deadline for linking your Permanent Account Number (PAN) with Aadhaar has passed. Despite various claims circulating online about a new deadline of December 31, 2024, it is important to note that if the PAN is not linked to Aadhaar by this date, it may be deactivated by the government.
Actually, PANs that were not connected to Aadhaar became inoperative from July 1, 2023. June 30, 2023 was the deadline to link one’s PAN with Aadhaar.
Since that date, the Union government has been imposing a penalty of Rs 1,000 for individuals who attempt to link an inactive PAN with Aadhaar.
In February, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary informed the Parliament that the number of PANs not linked with Aadhaar, excluding exempted categories, was 11.48 crore as of January 29, 2024.
In response to a question about the government’s earnings from late penalties of Rs 1,000 levied on individuals who have not linked their PAN and Aadhaar after the deadline of June 30, 2023, Chaudhary stated that “the total collection of fee from persons who have not linked their PAN with Aadhaar is Rs 601.97 crore from July 1, 2023 to January 31,2024.
How to pay penalty to link Aadhaar-PAN on e-Filing Portal
To link your inoperative PAN with Aadhaar, a taxpayer must first pay a penalty of Rs 1,000 as specified under Section 234H of the Income Tax Act, 1961
How to link your PAN to your Aadhaar after deadline?
Two main steps for linking your Aadhar with your PAN after the deadline of 30th June 2023 is as follows:
I. Payment of penalty.
II. Submit the Aadhaar-PAN link request.
Things to keep handy:
- Aadhaar Card
- PAN Card
- Mobile number linked to Aadhaar
I. Payment of penalty
Follow the below steps to pay the penalty for linking PAN-Aadhaar numbers:
Step 1: Visit the Income Tax e-Filing Portal.
Step 2: Click the ‘e-Pay Tax’ option under the ‘Quick Links’ heading.
Step 3: Enter the ‘PAN’ number under ‘PAN/TAN’ and ‘Confirm PAN/TAN’ column, enter mobile number and click the ‘Continue’ button.
Step 4: After OTP verification, it will be redirected to e-Pay Tax page. Click the ‘Continue’ button.
Step 5: Click the ‘Proceed’ button under the ‘Income Tax’ tab.
Step 6: Select Assessment Year as ‘2025-26’, ‘Type of Payment (Minor Head)’ as ‘Other Receipts (500)’ and Sub-type of Payment as ‘Fee for delay in linking PAN with Aadhaar’ and click the ‘Continue’ button.
Step 7: The applicable amount will be pre-filled against ‘Others’ option. Click ‘Continue’ button and make the payment.
You can pay the late penalty on Income Tax e-filing Portal through net banking, debit card, over the counter, NEFT/RTGS or payment gateway option. However, you can pay the penalty through the payment gateway option when you have a bank account with the following authorised banks:
- Axis Bank
- Bank of Baroda
- Bank of India
- Bank of Maharashtra
- Canara Bank
- Central Bank of India
- City Union Bank
- Federal Bank
- HDFC Bank
- ICICI Bank
- IDBI Bank
- Indian Bank
- Indian Overseas Bank
- IndusInd Bank
- Jammu & Kashmir Bank
- Karur Vysya Bank
- Kotak Mahindra Bank
- Punjab & Sind Bank
- Punjab National Bank
- RBL Bank
- South Indian Bank
- State Bank of India
- UCO Bank
- Union Bank of India
After making the payment, proceed to link your PAN with Aadhaar card immediately.