Income Tax

What is the Aadhaar Enrolment ID for Income Tax Returns?

The income tax laws mandate that an individual must quote their Aadhaar enrolment ID while filing an income tax return (ITR). Other than this, individuals are also mandated to link their Permanent Account Number (PAN) with their Aadhaar enrolment ID or quote their Aadhaar enrolment ID while applying for a new PAN. An individual will be unable to file an ITR if the PAN is not linked with the Aadhaar.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on 31 March 2019 issued a notification making it mandatory to quote an Aadhaar enrolment ID while filing an ITR under section 139AA(1) (ii) unless specifically exempted. The same came into effect on 1 April 2019. It has been further prescribed in the Notification that the tax return will not be filed either electronically or manually without quoting the Aadhaar enrolment ID.

This Notification was issued after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in Budget 2019, announced to make PAN and Aadhaar interchangeable. It also implies that those who do not have PAN are likely to be able to file ITR using just their Aadhaar enrolment ID. To quote their PAN compulsorily, they can easily quote their Aadhaar enrolment ID wherever required.

Who is eligible for Aadhaar?

 Every resident of India who can provide their demographic and biometric information can avail Aadhaar. Non-resident Indians (NRIs), whether minors or adults with valid passports, can also get Aadhaar on arrival in India without waiting for the completion of 182 days.

What is the Aadhaar enrolment ID for Income Tax Returns?

An Aadhaar enrolment ID is a unique 28-digit number allocated to each citizen of India. It captures biometric details and gives a unique identity proof to each individual. To apply for an Aadhaar card, one must visit an Aadhaar Enrollment centre to submit the required enrolment form and provide biometric data. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)¹ is responsible for rolling out the Aadhaar program. As per the regulations of the UIDAI, one will be assigned an enrolment ID when you apply for an Aadhaar enrolment ID. The Aadhaar Enrollment ID or (EID) is a unique identification number allotted to each Aadhaar applicant. It consists of 28 digits, which are assigned as follows:-

• The initial 14 digits are randomly assigned in the enrolment number
• The next 14 digits consist of a date and the timestamp pertaining to the Aadhaar enrolment

The 28-digit number is provided on the acknowledgement slip given at the time of enrolment in the UID program.

What are the benefits of knowing your Aadhaar enrolment ID?

The Aadhaar enrolment ID is beneficial in many ways to access certain facilities or services. The primary benefits and use of an Aadhaar enrolment IDs are:-

• To check the status of the Aadhaar application online
• Retrieve lost or forgotten Aadhaar number
• Make changes in personal information as available on the Aadhaar Database, such as name, date of birth, etc.
• Verify the identity when one avails of Government or other services such as opening a bank account, requesting a subsidy, applying for a passport, etc.
• Complete KYC procedures when obtaining different financial services that require customer verification.

Exemptions from Linking of PAN and Aadhaar

Linking PAN and Aadhaar is mandatory only for those who are eligible for obtaining Aadhaar. Individuals who are exempt from this requirement are:-

1. Non-resident Indians (NRIs) OCIs, POIs., etc., who do not reside in India but conduct business in India do not have to link their PAN and Aadhaar.
2. Foreign nationals who reside in India are also not mandated to get their Aadhaar linked with PAN.
3. Taxpayers of Assam, Meghalaya and J&K are also exempted from linking their PAN with Aadhaar.
4. Senior citizens 80 years of age do not have to mandatorily link their Aadhaar and PAN.

Retrieving Aadhaar EID

If you forget or misplace the information on your Aadhaar EID, there is a way to retrieve it. Follow these simple steps to retrieve your Aadhaar EID:-

Step 1: Visit the official UIDAI website and go to the “My Aadhaar” section.

Step 2: Click on the “Retrieve, Lost or Forgotten UID/EID option.

Step 3: You will be redirected to a new page where two options will appear, namely the “Aadhaar number” and “Enrollment ID’. Choose the latter.

Step 4: Fill in the required details like your name, mobile number or email address and the captcha code displayed.

Step 5: Click “Send OTP” and enter the password to your registered mobile number or email ID.

Step 6: After verification of the OTP, the enrolment ID will be sent to the registered mobile number or the email ID. 

Conclusion

An Aadhaar Enrolment ID is a unique identification number. The number is generated at the time of enrolment for an Aadhaar card. It tracks the status of an individual’s Aadhaar card application and retrieves enrolment details from the Aadhaar database. If you have an enrolment ID, ensure that you keep it secure so it can be retrieved whenever needed.

Read our Article: Ways to do ITR verification

FAQs

1. https://uidai.gov.in/en/about-uidai/unique-identification-authority-of-india.html