NEW DELHI: The government has amended rules for Permanent Account Number (PAN) card that will allow children of single mothers, who don’t want to disclose or associate with their father’s names, to apply for it by just giving their mother’s name.
The rule, which came into effect on December 5, has come at the behest of the Union Women and Child Development Ministry. Sometime back, a similar norm was passed for passports as well.
The external affairs ministry modified the application process to favour single parents and women. The name of the father, the mother or the legal guardian was sufficient it said. This has enabled single parents to apply for passports for their children.
The Central Board of Direct Taxes, under the Income Tax Department, said the application forms would give an option to the applicant as to whether the mother is a single parent and the applicant wishes to furnish the name of the mother only.
Currently, furnishing father’s name is mandatory for the allotment of PAN. The new rules have come into effect from December 5.A senior government official said that following the notification, the tax department has addressed the concerns of those persons whose mother is a single parent and, hence, would want to get their mother’s name printed on PAN cards instead of the estranged or deceased father.
“We are happy with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for considering our request and amending the PAN card application in Income Tax Rules, 1962,” tweeted Women and Child Development (WCD) Minister Maneka Gandhi.
“I can say it with pride that our Government walks its talk when it raises the slogan of Sashakt Nari Surakshit Nari Empowered Woman, Safe Woman). These are radical transformations that reaffirm the fact that a woman continues to be an equal part of society,” she added.
“Earlier, we had also amended the passport & educational certificates rules so either mother or father’s name can be provided in application forms. This is to further enhance sensitivity towards single mothers,” Gandhi also wrote.