After the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) extended the deadline for PAN-Aadhaar linking to 30 June, the Indian government on Wednesday, 28 March, announced the extension of the deadline for linking Aadhaar for welfare schemes by three months, too.
The CBDT on Tuesday, 27 March, had issued an order extending the deadline from the current last date of 31 March.
The deadline for linking bank accounts and mobile phone numbers with the 12 digit biometric identifier Aadhaar has already been extended indefinitely, till the five-judge constitution bench delivers its judgement on petitions challenging the validity of the biometric scheme and the enabling law.
The order said the deadline for PAN-Aadhaar linking for filing I-T returns is being extended after “consideration of the matter”.
The latest CBDT order comes in the backdrop of the Supreme Court, earlier this month, directing extension of the 31 March deadline for linking Aadhaar with various other services. The apex court ordered for the extension in the deadline till the five-judge constitution bench delivers its judgment on petitions challenging the validity of the biometric scheme and the enabling law.
This is the fourth time the government has extended the deadline for individuals to link their PAN with their biometric ID – Aadhaar.
The government has now made quoting of Aadhaar mandatory for filing income tax returns and obtaining a new PAN.
Section 139 AA (2) of the Income Tax Act says that every person having PAN as on 1 July 2017, and eligible to obtain Aadhaar, must intimate his Aadhaar number to the tax authorities.
Till 5 March, over 16.65 crore PANs, out of the total about 33 crore, had been linked with Aadhaar, according to PTI.
The earlier deadlines for linking the two databases were 31 July, 31 August and 31 December 2017, with the last being 31 March this year.
(With PTI inputs)
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