New Delhi, Feb. 9 -- The draft Income-tax Rules, 2026, released for public consultation before their implementation from 1 April, have raised the threshold for quoting permanent account number (PAN) for bank deposits to Rs.200,000, up from the current Rs.50,000.

Thresholds have been raised for certain financial investments too, including investments in mutual funds, which will require PAN if it is above Rs.200,000, up from Rs.50,000 now. The tax-exempt per-meal limit has been raised to Rs.200 from Rs.50.

Tax officials said that these rules will be finalized and notified in early march, but for the income earned in FY26, taxpayers have to use the existing forms when they file their returns.

The officials also said that the monetary thre...