Indian Railway Reforms facilitates PAN card misuse

Memorandum submitted by Akhila Bharata Grahak Panchayat

ABGP-All India Consumer Movement(Regd)-TATKAL Reservation- PAN CARD DETAILS-MISUSED BY UNSCRUPULOUS PERSONS- MEMORANDUM TO MINISTER FOR RAILWAYS,CHAIRMAN, RAILWAY BOARD & G.M.,S.RLYS.

AKHIL BHARATHEEYA GRAHAK PANCHAYAT(ABGP); An All India Consumer Movement ( Regn.No:S/9194,Delhi, having its branches in 30 states, submitted a memorandum to Hon.Minister For Railways,chairman-Railway Board and G.M.,S.Rlys’.

Copy of the Memorandums Hon.Minister For Railways,CC to Chairman,Railway Board and  to G.M.S.Rly., with ack. is attached, for ready reference.        

     * As per Commercial Circular No.5 of 2011 issued wide Letter No.2010/TG.1/20/P/Tatkal dt.28.01.2011, Tatkal tickets shall be issued only on production of one of the 8 prescribed proofs of Identity.One among them is PAN CARD.The details of the Identity proof shall be captured by the system and indicated on reserved tickets as well as on the reservation charts.
     * IR as per the above direction display PAN CARD DETAILS along with other details of reserved passenger’s, in the reservation chart pasted outside the Coach.
        This practice has become a boon for benami transactions .In an attempt to combat black money, Government Of India by Finance Act 2012 has made it mandatory for certain traders like Jewellery dealers to collect tax (TCS) from customers on purchase of jewellery exceeding Rs.5 lakhs.

         While complying with TCS rules for collection, payment and uploading of TCS information (E-filing of TDS returns), Jewellery dealers have to furnish PAN of customers. For Certain customers,it is not convenient to provide PAN as they may have constraints in explaining the source.In such cases to accommodate high net worth customers,unscrupulous traders have an  easy source of benami PAN particulars from reserved railway passengers chart.

         After such illegal use of PAN CARD details of unconnected taxpayer, there is almost 6-12 months time for the PAN holder to know that a transaction of above nature has taken place in his name and only if he goes through Form 26.

         The Income Tax Department will first initiate action from the tax payer side asking him to prove that he /she has not carried on the above transaction.The onus lies on the genuine tax payer for fault committed by the traders.

          Hence, ABGP REQUESTED BY ITS MEMORANDUM THAT THE INDIAN RAILWAY’S  EITHER WITHDRAW PAN CARD AS ONE OF THE PRESCRIBED PROOFS OF IDENTITY FOR TATKAL RESERVATION OR PUBLISH EITHER THE ENGLISH ALPHA PET PART OR NUMERIC PART AND NOT THE FULL DETAILS OF PAN CARD IN THE RESERVATION CHARTS DISPLAYED ON THE RAILWAY COMPARTMENTS to safeguard the interest of Railway Reserved Passengers.

     With the severity and urgency of the matter, ABGP requests that suitable orders may be passed at the earliest.

Responses