With the period stipulated by the Employers’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) expiring on Wednesday for sections of employees and pensioners to exercise joint option along with their employers for higher PF pension, the demand has been made by John Brittas, Member of Parliament from Kerala, for extending the deadline by six months.
In a seven-page letter sent to Union Labour Minister Bhupender Yadav, the MP gave an elaborate account of issues and problems in exercising the joint option. Citing the R.C. Gupta judgment of the Supreme Court in 2016, Mr. Brittas wanted the government to provide an opportunity to those who retired, without exercising the option, before September 1, 2014 when amendments to the PF and Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS) came into force. He made this demand as the present scheme of seeking joint options from the employees and pensioners did not cover those who retired prior to the given date.
