Pan-Aadhaar linking: What will happen if the two are not linked by December 31; Check here

Still have not linked your Permanent Account Number (PAN) with Aadhaar? Do it immediately as the PAN card will become inoperative from December 31, 2019. Thus, all PAN cardholders are required to link their PAN with Aadhaar by this date.

However, the government has not yet clarified the meaning of the word "inoperative" although it had extended deadline of PAN card linking (with Aadhaar) for the seventh time to December 31, 2019, from September 30, 2019.

Meanwhile, it is still unclear what will happen after the December 31 deadline passes, whether an individual will have to apply for PAN again or it can be reactivated after linking with Aadhaar.

Also read: Mandatory to link PAN-Aadhaar by 31 December: Income Tax Department

Linking your PAN card with Aadhaar is compulsory if you want to file your income tax return.

Section 139 AA (2) of the Income Tax Act says that every person having PAN as on July 1, 2017, and is eligible to obtain Aadhaar, must intimate his Aadhaar number to tax authorities.

Here's how to link your PAN card with your Aadhaar card:

Step 1: Visit the Income Tax Department e-filing portal - incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in

Step 2: Go to 'Link Aadhaar' option on the left side of the homepage

Step 3: Enter your PAN and Aadhaar number and your name as per AADHAAR

Step 4: Mark 'I have the only year of birth in Aadhar card,' if you have only the birth year on the Aadhaar

Step 5: Mark 'I agree to validate my Aadhar details with UIDAI,' if you agree to do so

Step 6: Enter the captcha code on your screen

Step 7: Click on 'Link Aadhaar' option to request linking of PAN and Aadhaar

You can also check the status of the PAN-Aadhaar linking on the Income Tax Department's website.

Also read: PAN-Aadhaar linking date extended to December 31; here's how to link them

There is a possibility of linking failure between PAN-Aadhaar card in the following cases:

1. Mismatch in the spelling and placing of the middle and last name can cause linking failure in PAN or Aadhaar card.

2. If there is a discrepancy in the date of birth

3. In case of a gender mismatch

An Aadhaar-Pan mismatch will need to be rectified immediately in case of any such discrepancies listed above. For changes over details on the Aadhaar card, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) will have to be approached.

Similarly, UTI Infrastructure Technology and Services Ltd. will have to be approached in case of a mistake in the PAN card.

Also Read: PAN-Aadhaar linking deadline Dec 31; everything you need to know

Post a request for correction, it is likely to take a week for the respective agencies to get the rectification done and send across the new cards to you.

Aadhaar is issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to a resident of India and PAN is a 10-digit alphanumeric number allotted by the I-T Department to a person, firm or entity.