Extension of the PAN-Aadhaar linking deadline

The Aadhaar card and PAN card are essential documents for Indian citizens, and the Income Tax Department and Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) have always recommended linking them. Although the deadline to link the two cards was originally set for March 31 with a fine, the CBDT has extended it to June 30, providing a huge relief for those who have not yet linked their cards. The CBDT's recent press release states that taxpayers can link their PAN and Aadhaar cards without any interruption until the new deadline.

It's worth noting that this is the fifth time the CBDT has extended the deadline to link Aadhaar and PAN. If the two cards are not linked, the PAN card will become invalid, and the Income Tax Department has been warning taxpayers about this. It's mandatory for anyone who has a PAN card and pays taxes to link it with their Aadhaar card. Failure to do so by June 30 will lead to consequences such as being unable to file Income Tax returns, access banking services, or trade in stock markets.

To check whether your PAN and Aadhaar cards are linked, you can visit the website's home page and click on the quick links section, then select "Aadhaar Status." Next, enter your PAN and Aadhaar card numbers, and a pop-up message will appear indicating whether your Aadhaar card is already linked with your PAN card. If they are not linked, you can follow the instructions to link them. Don't forget to link your PAN and Aadhaar cards before the deadline.