Link your PAN and Aadhaar now to retain access to your trading account

Linking PAN and Aadhaar is now mandatory for everyone, except NRIs and Non-Individuals. The deadline to link PAN and Aadhaar is March 31, 2022.

ICICI Direct in its notification via mail stated: “In case you have not done the same, the process is simple and has been explained in this article. However, please note that inability to link your Aadhaar with PAN may lead to suspension of your ICICIdirect trading account.”

Earlier, the government issued a six-month extension of the deadline for linking PAN to Aadhaar, from September 30, 2021 to March 31, 2022. If you do not link your PAN to your Aadhaar, your PAN will become inoperative on April 1, 2022, unless the government decides to extend the deadline.


How to link Aadhaar and PAN
There are multiple ways of linking:
1. E-filing website
2. By sending an SMS
3. One can manually fill a specified form at a PAN service center

Here is how you can link your PAN with Aadhaar on e-filing website
If you have previously mentioned your PAN while filing ITR in past assessment years, it is likely that your PAN has already been linked with Aadhaar. If the details of both are already known, it is done by the income tax department.

How to check if PAN – Aadhaar is linked
Visit the income tax e-filing website www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in to see if your Aadhaar has already been connected to your PAN. Enter your PAN (User ID) and password to access the website. After you've logged in and your account is opened, click the arrow next to your name to go to 'Profile Settings.' Your Aadhaar number will be partially connected in your profile.

By sending an SMS to PAN service providers
By sending a simple SMS, you can link your PAN and Aadhaar. You can send an SMS to either NSDL e-Governance Infrastructure Limited or UTI Infrastructure Technology and Services Limited, which are both PAN service providers (UTIITL).

Simply text a keyword to 567678 or 56161 to send a SMS in a specific format.

UIDPAN>12 digit Aadhaar>10 digit PAN> is the format.

If the information provided is correct, the Aadhaar will be linked to PAN successfully.
Note that you will not be charged by NSDL or UTI for this. SMS charges imposed by the mobile provider, however, will apply.

Manual linking by filing up a form (Annexure-I)
Visit PAN service provider, NSDL, or UTIITSL service centre. Fill out the 'Annexure-I' form and attach the supporting papers, such as a copy of your PAN card and an Aadhaar card.

This service is not free, unlike many online services. The price is determined by whether or not the PAN or Aadhaar details are corrected during the linking process.

A fee of Rs 110 is charged for any corrections to PAN data. The prescribed charge for updating Aadhaar details, on the other hand, is Rs 50.

If there is a significant discrepancy between PAN and Aadhaar data, biometric authentication is required.