The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) has urged Central Provident Fund Commissioner Neelam Shami Rao for a “substantial extension of time” beyond March 3 for workers to submit joint options with employers to the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) for receiving higher pension.
CITU general secretary Tapan Sen, in a letter, said the circular issued by the EPFO on Monday on implementing the November 4 verdict of the Supreme Court was delayed beyond the time stipulated by the court. He said hardly 10 working days were left for the employees to submit the joint option for higher pension. He said if the guidelines were issued as per the time of eight weeks stipulated by the top court, it would have given two months to all the pensioners and beneficiaries to process their claims.
“Hence we request you to give substantial extension of time on the same beyond March 3 – the dateline given by the Supreme Court,” he said in the letter.
He added that the January 25 circular of the EPFO stopping the pension for a section of pensioners was in gross violation of the basic content as well as direction of the judgment and that it should be rescinded immediately.
He urged Ms. Rao to withdraw the circular forthwith and to take immediate measures to implement the judgment in letter and spirit in the interest of fairness and propriety. “While making such fresh options, though all the relevant records are available with EPFO, all circulars simply pass the whole responsibility of producing all relevant proofs on the pensioner’s shoulder. It’s not fair as it entails many problems for employees. Whatever the documents available with your office that has to be used for these purposes and for the rest of relevant records both employers’ and employees can be expected to produce,” he said.