Biometric PAN cards in the offing, says FinMin

The department has already asked PAN service centres operated by the National Securities Depository Ltd. and the UTI Securities to undertake 100 percent re-verification at their digitization centres.

They have also been asked not to accept PAN applications without the full names of the applicants.

Earlier, applicants were allowed to use initials while filling the forms.

The department is also considering removing some of the validation documents allowed earlier as proof of identity and address, such as water bill and rent receipt.

It is also mulling introduction of "scoring," which means that weightage will be assigned to various documents being allowed as proof of identity and address.

For instance, submission of the Class X board exam mark-sheet for proof of age will be assigned higher weightage than a letter containing the signature of a gazetted officer or an MLA. The latter with a low weightage will require more verification.