Wrong Aadhar Number to attract Rs 10,000 penalty

New Delhi : The government recently allowed Indians to quote Aadhaar Card number with PAN card in case of high value transactions. Adding to it, the government will be imposing a penalty of Rs 10,000 in case any one provides wrong or fake Aadhaar number during the transaction.

The penal provision is expected to be applicable from September 1, 2019 after amendments are made to the relevant laws and the subsequent issuance of a notification, two government officials aware of the development told Hindustan Times, requesting anonymity. 

Any individual failing in providing a valid Aadhaar card in the documents related to high-value transactions may attract a fine of Rs 10,000 for each such violation and a similar penalty will be imposed on the person who is supposed to authenticate the identification number, one of the official said. "It is also proposed that before passing a penalty order, a person shall be heard," the official added.

The second official said the existing laws will be amended in lines with the July 5 budget announcement that allowed the interchangeability of PAN and Aadhaar.

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in her fiscal 2019-20 budget speech that more than 1.2 billion Indians now possess the Aadhaar unique ID number. In comparison, only 220 million have PAN.