Permanent account number
259. (1) Every prescribed person shall make an application for the allotment of a permanent account number and the applicant shall be allotted a permanent account number.
(2) Any person not falling under sub-section (1) may make an application for a permanent account number and he shall also be allotted a permanent account number.
(3) A permanent account number may, having regard to the nature of transactions as may be prescribed, be allotted to any other person, whether or not an application is made by him.
(4) Any person who has been allotted a permanent account number shall quote the number in the transactions, or documents, as may be prescribed.
(5) The Board shall prescribe the following in respect of the permanent account number:-
(a) the form and the manner in which an application may be made for the allotment of a permanent account number and the particulars which such application shall contain;
(b) the income-tax authority, or any other person, authorised to receive the application or allot the permanent account number;
(c) the categories of transactions in relation to which Permanent Account Numbers shall be quoted by every person in the documents pertaining to such transactions;
(d) the categories of documents in which such numbers shall be quoted by every person;
(e) class, or classes, of persons to whom the provisions of this section shall not apply;
(f) the form and the manner in which the person who has not been allotted a Permanent Account Number shall make his declaration;
(g) the manner in which the Permanent Account Number shall be quoted in respect of the categories of transactions referred to in clause (c); and
(h) any other matters connected therewith.
