SBI gives a DEADLINE for PAN, Aadhaar linking, my stop service; link now, here is how to

SBI warns customers that their banking service might be stopped if they have not linked PAN and Aadhaar card before 31 March 2022

SBI baking service may stop for customers who do not get their PAN, Aadhaar linking by 31 March 2022 (MINT)

State Bank of India (SBI) has issued an alert to all its account holders that if they do not get their PAN, Aadhaar linking done before 31 March 2022, it may lead to their banking services being suspended. SBI had tweeted from its official Twitter account that customers get their Aadhaar card and PAN card linked to avoid facing any inconvenience. “We advise our customers to link their PAN with Aadhaar to avoid any inconvenience and continue enjoying a seamless banking service,” the tweet read.

This is not the first time such an advisory has come up from India's largest public sector bank. Citing linking PAN and Aadhaar card as mandatory, previously it set its deadline for 30 September 2022. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it later extended the deadline to 31 March 2022.

The reason behind the linking is that if the Aadhaar card and PAN card are not linked, the latter will become inactive. As a result, people will not be able to use PAN cards for transaction purposes.

If you still have not linked your Aadhaar card and PAN card, do not worry. There are two very easy ways to link Aadhaar and PAN and it will barely take you a few minutes to complete the process. So, do not delay it any further. Read on to link your Aadhaar and PAN.

How to link Aadhaar card and PAN card

As mentioned, there are two ways to link your Aadhaar and PAN cards. The first way is through the official government website. And the second way involves SMS. Let us take a look at both the options.

Linking Aadhaar and PAN card through SMS

Step 1: Go to your new message screen on your phone. Type: UIDPAN<12-digit Aadhaar><10-digit PAN>

Step 2: Send it to 567678 or 56161. And you have successfully linked your PAN and Aadhaar card. Do ensure that the number you are sending the message from is your Aadhaar registered number. In case your phone number is not registered with Aadhar, follow the second method.

Linking Aadhaar and PAN card through Income Tax website

Step 1: Step 1: First, you need to go to the official website of Income Tax of India using this url: https://www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/home

Step 2: On the home page, you will see ‘Quick Links’ on the left side of the page. The second option from the top says ‘Link Aadhaar’. Click on that.

Step 3: You will be redirected to a new page where you need to enter your name, PAN card number and Aadhaar card number.

Step 4: Enter captcha code and press the button for OTP

Step 5: Enter the OTP and click the ‘Link Aadhaar’ button. That’s it. You have linked your PAN card with your Aadhaar number.