New norm: Father’s name not mandatory for issuing PAN cards
NEW DELHI: Now, father’s name is no longer mandatory for issuing Permanent Account Number (PAN) cards. The government has amended rules that will allow children of single mothers, who don’t want to disclose or associate with their father’s name, to apply for a PAN by 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. The Central Board of Direct Taxes, under the Income Tax Department, said the application forms would give an option to the applicant to mention if the mother is a single parent or the applicant wishes to furnish only the mother’s name.
Át preset, furnishing the father’s name is mandatory for allotment of a PAN card. A senior government official said that following the notification, the tax department has addressed the concerns of those whose mother is a single parent and, hence, would want to get their mother’s name 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 women 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.