The linking of Aadhaar card and PAN card is compulsory for taxpayers from July 1. To file income tax returns, a taxpayer holding both the documents must link both the documents before Saturday. This step has been taken to keep a check on tax evasion.

The Supreme Court recently said that it is mandatory only for those who hold both the documents. The court granted partial relief to those only having the PAN card — striking down the government decision that any PAN card will be made invalid if not linked to an Aadhaar by July 1.

How you should link your Aadhaar card to PAN card online

>Online

First, register on the income tax filing website. Once registered, log in to the website. Look for ‘profile settings’ on top of the page and select “link Aadhaar” option. Add your personal details, matching it with details on your Aadhar card. Click on ‘Link now’ and you will receive a pop-up message saying that both the documents are linked. This is only if details on both cards are the same.

>SMS

Another method is that you can link your Aadhaar with your PAN card by sending an SMS to 567678 or 56161 from the mobile number registered with your Aadhaar card.

Unable to link Aadhaar card with PAN card?

Although the methods to link the documents are easy, it involves a condition: details on both documents should be same. If the details mismatch, the two will not be linked.

If you have changed your name, say after marriage, and your PAN card has your maiden name while your Aadhaar card carries your name post-marriage, the two will not be linked.

The Income Tax Department, however, has come up with the idea of the OTP method for those who do not have the same details on both the cards. The user will receive an OTP on the mobile number registered with the Aadhaar card provided that the date of birth is the same on both documents.

Other issues

Even though the Aadhaar PAN link diktat has been issued, the subject of privacy still remains. As of today, Aadhaar has been made mandatory for many things: existing bank accounts, opening bank accounts, registering a new mobile connection, lease agreements and now for income tax returns.

With the government rushing to link everything with Aadhaar, it as naturally triggered a rush of unregistered people who want to have the ID card issued.

The Akshaya centres tasked with the job of registering new Aadhaar cards, are unable to accomplish the task on time. This has caused some hardship to worried citizens who have to queue up in serpentine queues to have their cards made.