Now, new tick box for transgenders in PAN card application form

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Representational Image
Representational Image

New Delhi : The government in India has set new Income Tax rules that will address transgenders as an independent category of applicants for obtaining a Permanent Account Number (PAN) for their tax-related transactions.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) is a statutory authority which functions under the Central Board of Revenue Act, 1963. The authority has issued a notification yesterday which provides a new tick box for the transgenders to apply for the PAN.

The notification has been issued under sections 139A and 295 of the Income Tax Act. It specifies the revised application process for obtaining a PAN number by an individual.

Till now, the PAN application form included only male and female gender categories, but now there will be another tick box for the transgenders

A senior official said the notification amending the tax rules was brought out in view of some representations received by the CBDT in this context.

"Individuals from the transgender community were facing hassles in obtaining a PAN card and this problem was further magnified as Aadhaar had the third gender category but not PAN.

"Hence, the transgenders were not able to link their PAN with their Aadhaar due to this anomaly," the official said.

The amendment will now be reflected in Form 49A (PAN application form for Indian citizens) and 49AA (PAN application form for individuals not a citizen of India), the official added.

Permanent Account Number is a 10-digit unique alphanumeric number allotted by the I-T department to individuals and entities, which acts as an identification for individuals, families and corporates, especially those who pay Income Tax

Also, the government has made quoting of Aadhaar mandatory for filing income tax returns (ITRs) as well as obtaining a new PAN.

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

According to official record till March 5, over 16.65 crore PANs, out of 33 crore, have been linked with Aadhaar.

The last date to link PAN with Aadhaar has been extended till June 30 by the CBDT.