Pradip Ranjan Ray, Kolkata
When country is so large and taxpayer base is growing to more than 35 million , the allotment process of PAN certainly will have problem. Lakhs of people were allotted PAN twice or thrice. Some people also took the benefit of this chaotic situation and got themselves more than one PAN. Some people who lost PAN cards , applied afresh for new PAN and were allotted a new PAN. Then , as in your case , many people applied for fresh PAN when they saw errors in their allotted PAN as getting a new PAN was easier than getting a PAN rectified by the system.
This problem of having more than one PAN was dealt by the income tax department a year ago. It has been instructed by the system wing of the department that Assessing Officer will intimate the assessing , identified having more than one PAN and they will be given an option to choose one among many PAN they have as per department . After a specified period , the PAN which is not opted for by the assessee , shall be made inactive by the department . Thus no return or tax can be deposited with that PAN.
In your case , you took the correct step by intimating the A.O concerned and surrendering the erroneous PAN not required by you. As per the instruction by system wing of department , the A.O must have made it ineffective. Although , there is an instruction to intimate the assessee regarding the PAN made ineffective in IT department’s system, the A,O seldom sends such intimation due to heavy workloads and poor resources.
You have nothing to worry about. Keep the letter intimating the department about surrender of PAN with you as record.
