Linking PAN with Aadhaar

B Raman

(The writer can be reached at braman555@gmail.com)

The Government of India said that if PAN is not linked to Aadhar by December 31, 2019, it will ‘cancel’ and ‘invalidate’ such PANs. It further said that a person without PAN can use Aadhaar to get one. The fact, however, remains that Aadhaar data have no basis as they are not verified, and they cannot be used to validate PAN. The government wants PAN to be linked to the Aadhaar. It will also let extra PANs be unlinked. Some persons got more than one Aadhaar, so it is not the unique Identity of a person. How can PAN be based on Aadhaar?

It is absurd that the government says one PAN is insufficient to identify its holder and stand by itself and uses the other (Aadhaar) which is dubious, controversial, unethical and only a self-declared token to support the former.

If one has Aadhaar and unlinked PAN, one can get one more PAN. PAN and Aadhaar are useful to reveal our personal data, investment, property, etc., to foreign governments. They cause loss of our personal privacy and risk to loss of our identity and property. We are more insecure by the Aadhaar and PAN. Linking makes India a totalitarian state.

If new PAN is given people must amend and rewrite (Know Your Customer) KYC documents, buy new stamp paper, remake title deeds to property with new PAN. If parties to sale are not available, it cannot be done.

Will AMCs of mutual funds and depository participants of DEMAT accounts, banks, insurers of life, property, vehicles, companies and money lenders must re-link substitute PAN and re-issue deposit receipts, policy and loan deeds letters with new PANs? If insurance policies of life, property, vehicles, etc., are re-issued with new PAN and death or accident or damage to property or vehicles, insurance claimants must successfully explain with a new PAN that they are one and the same person or lose claims.

A police department asked an Aadhaar office to verify fingerprints in a crime case but was told that it was impossible to do so. Biometric fingerprinting is a waste. Fingerprints did not match those in Aadhaar so cellphone companies like Reliance, JIO refused to sell SIM card/Cellphone. Aadhaar records were invalidated. People were to again register in Aadhaar.

Many names in PANs and Aadaar do not match. The Income Tax department website rejects their IT returns. Even after Aadhaar was changed to match PAN it would not accept. The returns were filed in ‘the last moment’ as the system accepted without linking.

Non Resident Indians are at high risk. Their investments can be easily disclosed through PAN or Aadhaar to foreign governments, invoking punishments like jail term, fine etc. There is no non-taxable interest in India. They donate and give foreign exchange out of love for India, despite earning less than they can.

They will be given ‘Aadhaar on arrival’ in India and must link PAN and be at risk. NRIs fear investing in India.

The Government of India and other countries must be practical. Joint accounts in banks, mutual funds, shares, fixed deposits (in companies, Non-Banking Finance Companies and Banks, Demat account etc) with Resident Indians must be allowed. They are harassed by all. What security does any government offer them?

If NRIs can file IT returns without linking PAN, why not others? With the last date to link coming soon, it has put us on tenterhooks. Were the government decisions discussed with all departments and ministries at the Centre and States that are set to be affected adversely.

The government threatens with undisclosed ‘legal consequences’ if we do not link Aadhaar and PAN by December 31, 2019. So we are worried and want to know what those ‘legal consequences’ are.

(The writer has sent this letter to the President of India, the Prime Minister of India and many other authorities. The comments made in this article are purely personal.)