Unique ID claim punctured; Sangrur peon, Delhi soldier using same PAN for years
SANGRUR :In an age in which we are moving towards a unique digital identity for each citizen, the government has ended up issuing the same Permanent Account Number (PAN) to a peon in Sangrur and a soldier from Uttarakhand, serving in Delhi.
What makes the case even more perplexing is that the PAN cards were issued years ago and till now, the matter had escaped notice of the mandarins of the income tax department.
In theory and according to government claims, the same PAN number cannot be issued to two people, but the card number ATGPS6477G — in possession of Lachhman Singh, 55, from Bahadurpur village and also of Laxman Singh, 55, from Uttarakhand, belies such assurances.
The duo share the same date of birth, April 3, 1962 and father’s name — Ram Singh. Lachhman was issued the PAN card in 2003 and Laxman was allotted the Permanent Account Number in 2006.The peon failed to file return this year
Lachhman Singh, 55, the peon at the Akal Degree College, Mastuana, realised the goof-up when he failed to file his income tax return this year.
He got in touch with the other Laxman. “I did not file my income tax return this year, but Laxman is filing his return with the same Permanent Account Number ,”he said.
“I approached the local office of the income tax department. Officials there gave up. I was told to solve the problem on my own,” he said.
The soldier Laxman told hindustan times over phone from Delhi, “It was only when the man from Punjab called me up and narrated the whole story, that then and there I realised the confusion.
THE WAY TO A RESOLUTION
Lachhman filed an application detailing his problem with the income tax department in Sangrur on October 9 this year. He has not received a reply.
“When we receive their applications on the matter, we will inquire into it,” Rajdeep Singh, joint director, income tax, Chandigarh, told hindusatn times over phone.“The current Permanent Account Number will be issued to the one who had applied first,” he added.