Decoding PAN Amendments In The New Income Tax Regime

Introduction

Financial Year 2025–26 marked a watershed moment in the evolution of Indian tax laws. Alongside the enactment of a new principal legislation—the Income-tax Act, 2025 (the Act, 2025)—and the corresponding Income-tax Rules, 2026 (the Rules, 2026), several consequential amendments were introduced through the Finance Act, 2026. These legislative changes collectively signify a comprehensive transition from the earlier framework under the Income-tax Act, 1961.

This article focuses on the amendments relating to one of the most fundamental elements of the Indian tax system: the Permanent Account Number (PAN). PAN-related changes under the new regime may broadly be categorised into two areas: (i) amendments to the procedural framework governing the application for PAN, including changes in prescribed forms and information requirements; and (ii) modifications to the circumstances in which quoting of PAN has been made mandatory.