Permanent Account Number or PAN is allotted to taxpayers by the Income Tax Department in India. This unique ten-digit alphanumeric identity is administered by the Central Board of Direct Taxes. PAN is mandatory when it comes to financial transactions like professional fee, taxable salary, purchase or sale of assets which are above specified limits or when buying mutual funds. PAN card is made mandatory for its effectiveness to track transactions to prevent tax evasion. If you are running a business or you earn a taxable income in India, having a PAN becomes imperative. It is possible to face issues while receiving your PAN number in the correct format. Government has eased the process of redressal to minimise the difficulties or complexities faced by individuals/non-individuals while applying for PAN or after receiving it.
Complaints falling under PAN Grievances
Applicants have multiple ways to submit a PAN grievance. You can either go to TIN NSDL, the Income Tax website or register the complaint offline. Before going for a submission, you need to understand the types of complaints that PAN grievances departments can handle. There are a number of complaints which can fall under the PAN grievance category.
Name on the PAN is incorrect: Sometimes the name printed on the PAN does not match the actual name of the applicant. This kind of mistake can be technical or manual too. If you encounter this kind of issue, you should rectify it immediately, as the card also works as an identity proof.
When an applicant does not receive PAN: When the applicant fails to receive the PAN card or the PAN number, it could be due to a number of reasons. The problem can be an address mismatch or card misplacement. In such cases, the applicant can register a grievance and get the issue resolved at the earliest.
Status shows undelivered: In case, the PAN number is already allotted but the delivery status of the card shows undelivered, this can be because of wrong address or just because you missed the delivery. If your card shows undelivered, it means the card has been returned to the concerned authorities. You can report the problem on the ASK portal to get the card delivered.
Photograph mismatch or other issues: In very rare cases, the photograph on the card does not match the actual photograph of the applicant. Other issues can be a mistake in the father’s name, DOB mismatch, or wrong communication address. These mistakes can be rectified by reporting them on the portal.
Submit PAN Grievance through TIN NSDL
If you encounter any problem mentioned above, you can file the complaint online with NSDL. No queues, no appointments, fill up the details and click submit. The process is quite simple. All you have to do is log on to the website, and click on the complaints/queries under the ‘contact us’ banner.
Submit PAN Grievance using e-Nivaran
Here is another way to register your PAN grievance. You can start by logging on to the website. Click on ‘PAN or TAN Holder’ if you already have the number. Input the number, or else click on ‘do not have a PAN or TAN’, and click submit. You will be able to choose your complaint category, ranging from the correction in name to updation. You can choose your relevant category and click submit.
Submit offline complaint
Apart from the online methods, if you want to talk to the customer care and register your complaint on the phone, you can do so by dialing the helpline. Individuals can reach the Aaykar Sampark Kendra (ASK) on their tollfree number 1800-180-1961. You can also contact the Income Tax Department helpline on 0124-2438000 or NSDL service centre number on 1800 222 990.
