Recently, The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) unified members’ portal has been activated for opting for higher pensions.
However, as per the reports of TOI, it stated that the retiree Registration forms on the unified portal for subscribers to sign up for pension went missing for a few hours on Tuesday.
This comes just before Supreme Court is scheduled to hear petitions challenging the pre-conditions laid down by the pension fund manager for EPFO members to opt for higher pensions. However, now the link is accessible. There are no major changes that can be seen in the movement.
EPFO has faced considerable criticism of procedural complexities in opting for higher pension virtually as per the Supreme Court order.
Also Watch, Procedural Complexities in Opting for EPS-95 Higher Pension
The EPFO updated the link on the EPFO website saying, “Joint options under erstwhile para 11 (3) and para 11 (4) of EPS 1995 on or before 3rd May 2023.”
The earlier last date to apply for the provision of a higher pension was March 3, 2023. Now, EPFO has extended the last day to opt for a higher pension by 60 days. The last date for availing of the option of a higher pension is May 3, 2023. To redirect and visit the page Click Here.
EPFO released a new circular on February 20, 2023. The EPFO has issued instructions in compliance with orders contained in Para 44 (iii) & (iv) read with Para 44(v) of Hon’ble Supreme Court judgment dated 04.11.2022 in the matter of Special Leave Petition (C) Nos. 8658-8659 of 2019.
According to the circular “44 (iii) The employees who had exercised an option under the proviso to paragraph 11(3) of the 1995 scheme and continued to be in service as on 1st September 2014, will be guided by the amended provisions of paragraph 11(4) of the pension scheme”
“44 (v) The employees who had retired prior to 1st September 2014 without exercising any option under paragraph 11(3) of the pre-amendment scheme have already exited from the membership thereof. They would not be entitled
to the benefit of this judgment.” The circular can be seen by Clicking Here.
