<h1>Over 915,000 PAN applications pending due to defects; applicants fail to clarify issues, says Finance Minister.</h1> Service providers are required to issue Permanent Account Number (PAN) cards within 15 days for new applicants and 20 days for reprints or corrections, not counting time taken by the department and applicants. The average issuance time is reportedly less than 15 days. However, since July 30, 2006, 915,246 applications have been pending for over a year, mainly due to defects in applications. Applicants have been informed of these defects but have not provided satisfactory clarifications. This information was disclosed by the Minister of State for Finance in a written response to a question in the Lok Sabha.