Deadline to link Aadhaar-PAN remains August 31, says UIDAI CEO

The Supreme Court verdict holding privacy as a fundamental right has in no way stopped quoting of Aadhaar for various schemes as well as filing of income tax returns.

Tax payers will have to link their PAN with Aadhaar by the stipulated deadline, which is this month-end, as the Supreme Court verdict on privacy has no bearing on the requirement, UIDAI CEO Ajay Bhushan Pandey said on Friday.

The requirement for Aadhaar being quoted for availing government subsidies, welfare schemes and other benefits will also continue unhindered for now, he told.

The Aadhaar Act which entails its quoting for services ranging from getting subsidised cooking gas to opening bank account and obtaining a new phone number had been drafted keeping in mind privacy as a fundamental right, he said. "We are very confident the Act will pass the test of privacy being a fundamental right," the officer said.

Supreme Court "judgement has not said anything about the Aadhaar Act so the Aadhaar Act is a valid Act passed by the Parliament (and) is the law of the land," he said.

PTI