Now, Transgenders can also gets PAN Card

New Delhi, Apr 11: The government has made new amendments on Income Tax rules that will now allow transgenders to be recognized as an independent category of applicants for obtaining a Permanent Account Number (PAN) for their tax-related transactions.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes or CBDT, which frames policy for the department, issued a notification yesterday that provides a new tick box for the transgenders to apply for the PAN.

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

Till now, only male and female gender categories were available to be chosen on the PAN application form.

"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.

PAN is a 10-digit unique alphanumeric number allotted by the Income Tax department to individuals and entities.

The government has now made quoting of Aadhaar mandatory for filing income tax returns as well as obtaining a new PAN.