Supreme Court | Photo: PTI
New Delhi: The central government has approached the Supreme Court requesting to stay the Kerala high court’s verdict on full pension without hearing other parties. The high court had directed to provide full pension to the EPF (Employee Provident Fund) members in accordance to their salary.
When the apex court was about to consider the case on Monday after an interval of 21 months, the Ministry of Labour filed a fresh plea stating that providing full pension is not practical. They have also sought permission to submit more documents in this regard.
The Kerala high court pronounced the verdict that ensures pension in accordance to the salary on October 12, 2018. The salary limit of Rs 15,000 on the basis of which the share of the employee to the EPS (Employees’ Pension Scheme) was calculated, was revoked. With this, pension was allowed in accordance to the salary of the staff.
The Supreme Court also upheld the Kerala High Court verdict on monthly pension from the Employees’ Pension Scheme on April 1, 2019. Following this, the EPFO filed a review petition and the Ministry of Labour filed an appeal against the high court verdict.
In the new appeal filed by the Centre, it has been pointed out that the limit of Rs 15,000 was determined targeting the financially and socially backward people. If the verdict revoking the limit was implemented, there will be a shortage of Rs 15,28,519.47 crore in the EPS. The EPFO had to give Rs 839.76 crore after the high court verdict.
The Centre stated that if the apex court upheld the appeal of the Ministry of Labour, the increased pension cannot be recovered. The pension increased 50 times after the verdict. This huge amount cannot be recovered during the superannuation period of the employees. So, the verdict should be stayed immediately, requested Sameer Kumar Das, the nder Secretary to the Ministry of Labour.
The three-member bench headed by Justice U U Lalit will consider on Monday the appeal filed by the Ministry of Labour against the high court verdict and the review petition of the EPFO against the supreme court verdict that upheld the high court verdict. The EPF members are denied full pension at present pointing out that the appeal and review plea are under consideration of the court.
RELATED STORIES
.jpg?$p=4fe4528&f=1x1&w=100&q=0.8)
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
.jpg?$p=372917a&f=1x1&w=100&q=0.8)
.jpg?$p=372917a&q=0.8&f=16x11&w=104)
.jpeg?$p=d5ca30b&q=0.8&f=16x11&w=104)
.jpg?$p=298ab5c&q=0.8&f=16x11&w=104)
