Should Aadhaar be linked to PAN card?

Should Aadhaar be linked to PAN card?

The newly included Section 139AA of the Income Tax Act says that linking Aadhaar to PAN card shall be mandatory for everyone and that income tax return would only be possible when the link has been made. This came as blow to many who believe this is in clear violation of civil rights and the rights mentioned under UIDAI.

While SC is considering the matter, concerns have been raised about the security of Aadhaar cards and that there have been leaks in the aadhaar details of citizens in large numbers. It is not really up to the citizens to decide whether they want to link the two or not. The call of government along with SC directives will be final but we do have the right to weigh our opinion on both the fronts.

Yes

1. Matter of paying the taxes

The citizens cannot choose whether or not they want to pay the taxes. They are also not in the position to decide the mode with which they will pay the taxes. The system will prevent tax escape by the billionaires and not the common people in any way who are unnecessarily arguing on the matter which has been twisted by media to seem like dictatorship by the government.

2. Fake PAN cards

The numbers of fake PAN cards that are used for financing terror and circulation of black money are too many and if they need to be tackled, linking with aadhaar is the suitable way which will make the data open to government surveillance and hence the anti-social elements could be tackled in better ways. It is eventually the citizens that will benefit from the process.

3. Secure database

IUDAI has emphasised time and again that the database is secure enough and cannot be messed up and hence the details of the citizens who link PAN with aadhaar will be secure enough. Even though third party is involved in the biometric data collection, there is no chance that the PAN card linked later would get into their hands to be misused in any way.

No

1. Electronic surveillance

This would violate civil rights of citizens as they will forever be under the surveillance of the government authorities that could keep a check his earnings and expenditures. India or any democratic country is not in a condition to adapt to a system such as this.

2. Leakage of data

The biometric data collection for aadhaar is done by third party individuals who have already put the details of citizens under risks of leakage and misuse by anti-social elements. Unless the security system of aadhaar is not completely relied upon by agencies and people, a big decision such as linking it with PAN card should have been avoided to prevent further misuse of data.

3. Voluntarily

The term voluntarily has been emphasised on UIDAI which means it should be up to the citizens to decide whether or not they are ready for such a big change. Instead the government is violating the guideline of UIDAI by making it obligatory for citizens and hence dissolving the civil rights. One mistake in the system could cause someone his identity.

Filing ITR is not an option for the citizens and hence the government needs to understand that the rules of UIDAI and the government’s recently announced law regarding obligatory linkage of PAN to aadhaar in order to file income tax return needs a re-consideration.