Linking PAN with Aadhaar is mandatory from July 1, the I-T department said.

Highlights I-T Department has asked taxpayers to quote their PAN while filing ITR

Aadhaar number will also be compulsory for getting new PAN

There are various ways to link Aadhaar with PAN

Have you linked your Aadhaar with PAN (Permanent Account Number? As the July 31, 2017 deadline of filing income tax return for assessment year 2017-18 nears, the Income Tax Department has asked taxpayers to quote their PAN to file the ITR. From this year, quoting of Aadhaar has been made mandatory for filing of income tax returns as well as applying for a new PAN. If you have a valid Aadhaar, the same needs to be linked with your PAN and it is mandatory for filing your Income Tax Return from 1-Jul-2017 onwards, according to the Income Tax Department's e-filing portal - incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in.In a post on microblogging site Twitter, the Income Tax Department has also urged assessees to disclose details of certain cash deposits made during demonetisation last year."Don't be an ordinary citizen. Be a nation builder. Come forward and file your return on or before 31st July, 2017 for financial year 2016-17... Do remember to disclose information of cash deposited in bank accounts aggregating to Rs 2 lakh or more from 09.11.2016 to 30.12.2016 in the ITR," the taxman said.Demonetisation, a shock withdrawal of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes, was announced on November 8 last year. In the following days, banks were rushed with masses of people depositing or exchanging the invalid bank notes. Now, details of cash deposited in bank accounts aggregating to Rs. 2 lakh or more from November 9, 2016 to December 30, 2016 are required to be mentioned in the income tax return or ITR. This was said by the taxman on Twitter.The Income Tax Department has in the past few months used multiple platforms to ensure linking of Aadhaar with PAN by assessees. The Income Tax Department also gave details on who is required to file income tax returns.The information will be matched with the information in possession of the income tax department, it has said earlier.While Aadhaar-PAN linking will be mandatory for filing income tax returns, it will also be required for obtaining a new PAN. Aadhaar, a 12-digit identity number based on biometrics, can be linked with the PAN, a 10-digit alphanumeric ID number for tax returns, in a number of ways. The Income Tax Department has time and again come out with many communications asking potential taxpayers to carry out Aadhaar-PAN linking.How to link your PAN with AadhaarFor unregistered usersSpot and click on the new 'Link Aadhaar' hyperlink on the left hand side of the income tax e-filing website.Fill details in the respective fields, follow instructions and check the 'Request OTP' option.Click the 'Link Aadhaar' button at the bottom of the form."Enter Aadhaar no. and ENTER NAME EXACTLY AS GIVEN IN AADHAAR CARD (avoid spelling mistakes) and submit," the Income Tax Department has said in an earlier communication.For registered usersOnce you are logged into the e-filing portal, spot the 'Link Aadhaar' option under 'Profile Settings'.In case your Aadhaar is already linked with PAN, 'Link Aadhaar' section displays the following message."Ensure that the ITR is compliant with amount deposited in bank accounts during the period of demonetisation and while computing income, the amounts so deposited are considered/taken into account while paying taxes...Cash deposits made in the above period may thus be fully and truly disclosed in the ITR," the tax department added.The Income Tax Department had earlier sent SMSs to some taxpayers asking them to link Aadhaar with PAN. The SMS read: "Aadhaar linking with PAN is mandatory for filing of Income Tax Returns from 1-July-2017. Please visit www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in and Link Your Aadhaar."