K.V. Sunil and Others v. Regional Provident Fund Commissioner, Ernakulam and Others

Case Details & Bench

Court: High Court of Kerala
Hon'ble Judges: N. Nagareesh
Judgment Date: 2024-07-26
Court Decision / Holding: The writ petition is disposed of; the petitioners’ claims and the options submitted thereto shall be considered in accordance with the law laid down by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Employees Provident Fund Organisation and another v. Sunil Kumar B. and others (2022) SCC Online SC 1521.
Final Disposition: Disposed of

Parties to the Case

Appellants / Petitioners

K.V. Sunil
A.J. Mathew
C.N. Ajayakumar
Benny Augustine K.
Radha P.
Geetha T.N.
Rajeevan K.V.
Premalatha N.
Soman K.K.
Latheef K.
Ajayakumar A.G
M.B. Radhakrishnan
N. Jaganathan Pillai
K.N. Chandrasekharan
C.B. Vasudevan
T.M. Poulose
P.G. Sivan

Respondents

REGIONAL PROVIDENT FUND COMMISSIONER, ERNAKULAM, EMPLOYEES PROVIDENT FUND ORGANIZATION, BHAVISHANIDHI BHAVAN, KOCHI- 682017
REGIONAL PROVIDENT FUND COMMISSIONER EMPLOYEES PROVIDENT FUND ORGANIZATION, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, EMPLOYEES PROVIDENT FUND ORGANIZATION, BHAVHISHANIDHI BHAVAN, POTTAKKUZHI ROAD, PATTAM, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - 695004
REGIONAL PROVIDENT FUND COMMISSIONER, EMPLOYEES PROVIDENT FUND ORGANIZATION, KOTTAYAM, EMPLOYEES PROVIDENT FUND ORGANIZATION ADITYA SHABARI, POST OFFICE ROAD, THIRUNAKKARA, KOTTAYAM - 686001
THE KERALA ELECTRICAL AND ALLIED ENGINEEING LTD (KEL), REPRESENTED BY ITS MANAGING DIRECTOR, 7TH FLOOR, HOUSING BOARD OFFICE COMPLEX, PANAMPILLY NAGAR, KOCHI – 682036.

Legal Representation & Advocates

Counsels for Petitioners

• Rajesh Nair
• K. Balachandran (Mangalath)
• Bijoy Chandran

Counsels for Respondents

• Sri S. Prasanth
• Sri M.K. Thankappan
• Smt. Anima M.
• Government Pleader

Case Synopsis & Summary

Petitioners, a group of sixteen individuals including K.V. Sunil, seek the benefit of the full Pension Scheme under the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). They challenge the denial or limitation of pension rights and urge the court to permit them to opt for full Pension Scheme benefits, with their claims and options to be examined under the pension framework. The petition engages pension entitlements under the EPFO regime and the interpretation and application of the Pension Scheme as it affects provident fund members. The High Court cites a controlling Supreme Court decision: Employees Provident Fund Organisation and another v. Sunil Kumar B. and others (2022 SCC Online SC 1521), and states that the issues are now covered by that apex Court ruling. On this basis, the court disposes of the writ petition by directing that the petitioners’ claims and the options submitted thereto shall be considered in accordance with the law laid down in that Supreme Court judgment. The order renders procedural guidance to align Kerala’s pension-related adjudication with national jurisprudence, rather than addressing case-by-case merits independently. The record also includes actuarial reports, explanatory statements, and forwarding letters produced by the respondents to support the administrative process. The decision emphasizes consistency with the Supreme Court precedent and requires EPFO to implement the Sunil Kumar B. framework for all petitioners.

Cited Precedents (1)

Case Name	Citation	Treatment	Explanation
Employees Provident Fund Organisation and another v. Sunil Kumar B. and others	2022 SCC Online SC 1521	Positive	The apex Court decision is expressly invoked to govern the pension entitlement framework applicable to the petitioners; the High Court applies and aligns its disposition with that precedent.

Extracted Judgment Text

Exact text extracted from official judgment records.

## **IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM** ## **PRESENT** **THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE N.NAGARESH FRIDAY, THE 26[TH] DAY OF JULY 2024 / 4TH SRAVANA, 1946 WP(C) NO. 21838 OF 2020** ## **PETITIONERS:** |**1**|**K.V. SUNIL,**| |---|---| ||**AGED 58 YEARS,**| ||**A-15, SANTHI NAGAR ANNEXE,**| ||**REGAGIRI P O, SOUTH KALAMASSERY,**| ||**ERNAKULAM – 683104,**| ||**(PF NO. KR/KCH/13368/10683),**| ||**(PPO NO. KR/KCH/116938)**| |**2**|**A.J. MATHEW,**| ||**ALUMKAL HOUSE, KANNAMALY PO,**| ||**ERNAKULAM - 682008,**| ||**(PF NO. KR/KCH/2700/11802)**| ||**(UAN NO.1002 2406 3035)**| |**3**|**C.N. AJAYAKUMAR,**| ||**CHERIAPADATH HOUSE, HOUSE NO. 236,**| ||**13TH CROSS ROAD, GIRINAGAR,**| ||**KADAVANTHRA, ERNAKULAM, KOCHI - 682020,**| ||**(PF NO. KR/KCH/2700/00000750)**| ||**(PPO NO. KR/KCH/00065955)**| |**4**|**BENNY AUGUSTINE K.,**| ||**NELLIKKUNNEL, VILLA NO.2,**| ||**VANILA GROVE, KOLENCHERRY,**| ||**ERNAKULAM - 682311,**| ||**(PF NO. KR/KCH/13368/609)**| ||**(PPO NO.KR/KCH/100667)**| |**5**|**RADHA P.,**| ||**PANAKKATTUMPILLI HOUSE,**| ||**PONNURUNNY PO, THAMMANAM,**| ||**ERNAKLAM – 682032**| ||**(PF NO.KR/KCH/13368/606)**| ||**(PPO NO. KR/KCH/97398)**| |**6**|**GEETHA T.N.,**| ||**GEETHANJALI, HOUSE NO. 48/439-C,**| ||**POOVAMPILLY ROAD, PUNNACKKAL,**| ||**ELAMAKKARA, ERNAKULAM – 682026**| ||**(PF NO.KR/KCH/13368/619)**| ||**(PPO NO.KR/KCH/95749)**| W.P.(C) No.21838/2020 : 2 : **7 RAJEEVAN K.V., KALAVAMPARA HOUSE, NEAR SREEKRISHNA TEMPLE, T.K.S PURAM, KODUNGALLUR, THRISSUR – 680664 (PF NO. KR/KCH/13368/577) (PPO NO.KR/KCH/94758) 8 PREMALATHA N., SREYAS, S.N. NAGAR, POOCHINIPADAM, OORAKAM P O, THRISSUR - 680562, (PF NO.KR/KCH/13368/558) (PPO NO. KR/KCH/88331) 9 SOMAN K.K., SANDHYA SADANAM, ANJILITHANAM P O, KAVIYOOR, THIRUVALLA, PATHANAMTHITTA – 689582. (PF NO.KR/KCH/13368/518) (PPO NO. KR/KTM/35707) 10 LATHEEF K., PAMPOOR HOUSE, MANGARA, PANDALAM, PATHANAMTHITTA – 689501, (PF NO.KR/KCH/2700/1464) (PPO NO. KR/TVM/79995) 11 AJAYAKUMAR A.G, ARTHANAT, SREESAILAM, EROOR SOUTH, THRIPPUNITHURA, ERNAKLAM - 682306, (PF/KCH/2700/737) (PPO NO. KR/KCH/61207) 12 M.B. RADHAKRISHNAN, MADAPPILLY HOUSE, CHOTTANIKARA P O, ERNAKULAM – 682312 (PF NO. KR/KCH/2700/360) (PPO NO. KR/KCH/71668) 13 N. JAGANATHAN PILLAI, VAZHAVILA PUTHEN VEEDU, KAKKAD KARA, MAMALA P O, ERNAKULAM – 682305 (PF NO KR/KCH/2700/429) (PPO NO.KR/KCH/95592) 14 K.N. CHANDRASEKHARAN, SURABHI HOUSE, THALAKODE P O, MULANTHURUTHY, ERNAKULAM -682314 (PF NO. KR/KCH/2700/389) (PPO NO. KR/KCH/89474)** W.P.(C) No.21838/2020 : 3 : - **15 C.B. VASUDEVAN, CHUNGATHIL HOUSE, PANANGAD PO, ERNAKULAM, - 682506 (PF NO. KR/KCH/2700/653) (PPO NO. KR/KCH/93310)** - **16 T.M. POULOSE, THONDANAL HOUSE, VEETOOR, NELLAD P.O, MUVATTUPUZHA, ERNAKULAM – 686669 ((PF NO. KR/KCH/2700/613) (PPO NO. KR/KCH/88356)** - **17 P.G. SIVAN, PANIKULAM HOUSE, THATHAPPILLY P.O, PARAVOOR, ERNAKULAM-683520 (PF NO. KR/KCH/2700/793) (PPO NO. KR/KCH/85196)** **BY ADVS. RAJESH NAIR SRI.K.BALACHANDRAN (MANGALATH) SRI.BIJOY CHANDRAN** ## **RESPONDENTS:** - **1 REGIONAL PROVIDENT FUND COMMISSIONER, ERNAKULAM, EMPLOYEES PROVIDENT FUND, ORGANIZATION, BHAVISHANIDHI BHAVAN, KALOOR, KOCHI- 682017.** - **2 REGIONAL PROVIDENT FUND COMMISSIONER EMPLOYEES PROVIDENT FUND ORGANIZATION, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, EMPLOYEES PROVIDENT FUND ORGANIZATION, BHAVHISHANIDHI BHAVAN, POTTAKKUZHI ROAD, PATTAM, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - 695004.** - **3 REGIONAL PROVIDENT FUND COMMISSIONER, EMPLOYEES PROVIDENT FUND ORGANIZATION, KOTTAYAM, EMPLOYEES PROVIDENT FUND ORGANIZATION ADITYA SHABARI, POST OFFICE ROAD, THIRUNAKKARA, KOTTAYAM - 686001.** W.P.(C) No.21838/2020 : 4 : **4 THE KERALA ELECTRICAL AND ALLIED ENGINEEING LTD (KEL), REPRESENTED BY ITS MANAGING DIRECTOR, 7TH FLOOR, HOUSING BOARD OFFICE COMPLEX, PANAMPILLY NAGAR, KOCHI – 682036.** **BY ADVS. SRI.S.PRASANTH SRI.M.K.THANKAPPAN SMT. ANIMSA M., GOVERNMENT PLEADER** **THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON 26.07.2024, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:** W.P.(C) No.21838/2020 : 5 : ## **JUDGMENT** Dated this the 26[th] day of July, 2024 The petitioners have filed this writ petition seeking to direct the Employees Provident Fund Organisation to permit the petitioners to opt for full Pension Scheme benefits. 2. The issues relating to Pension Scheme benefits are now covered by a judgment of the Hon'ble Apex Court in _**Employees Provident Fund Organisation and another v. Sunil Kumar B. and others** [2022 SCC Online SC 1521]_ . In view of the law laid down by the Hon'ble Apex Court in the judgment in _**Employees Provident Fund Organisation and another**_ (supra), this writ petition can be disposed of. The writ petition is therefore disposed of directing that the claim of the petitioners and options submitted W.P.(C) No.21838/2020 : 6 : thereto shall be considered in accordance with the law laid down by the Hon'ble Apex Court in _**Employees Provident Fund Organisation and another**_ (supra). Sd/- **N. NAGARESH JUDGE** SR W.P.(C) No.21838/2020 : 7 : ## **APPENDIX OF WP(C) 21838/2020** ## **PETITIONERS' EXHIBITS:** **EXHIBIT P1 COPY OF THE ABOVE JUDGMENT DATED 04.11.2011 IN WP(C) 9929/2007 EXHIBIT P2 COPY OF JUDGMENT DATED 10.12.2014 IN WP. 33181/2014. EXHIBIT P3 COPY OF THE JUDGMENT DATED 12.10.2018.** ## **RESPONDENTS' EXHIBITS:** **Exhibit R1(a) A TRUE COPY OF THE ACTUARIAL REPORT DATED 27.12.2018. Exhibit R1(b) A TRUE COPY OF THE EXPLANATORY STATEMENT DATED 20.06.2019 TO THE ACTUARIAL REPORT. Exhibit R1(c) A TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER IN CONT. PET. NO. 1917/2018 IN C.A. NO. 1001310014/2016/OF THE HON'BLE SUPREME COURT DATED 06.02.2020. Exhibit R1(d) A TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER IN CM-19618CW-2019 DATED 14.01.2020 OF THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARIYAN. Exhibit R1(e) A TRUE COPY OF THE DAILY STATUS DATED 03.11.2020 IN WPSS 929/19 OF THE HIGHCOURT OF UTTARAKHAND. Exhibit R1(f) A TRUE COPY OF THE DAILY STATUS DATED 3.11.2020 IN WPSS. 972/19 OF THE HIGH COURT OF UTTARAKHAND. Exhibit R1(g) A TRUE COPY OF THE DAILY STATUS DATED 3.11.2020 IN WPSS. 1006/2019 OF THE HIGH COURT OF UTTARAKHAND. Exhibit R1(h) A TRUE COPY OF THE CALCULATION SHOWING DIFFERENCE IN PENSION. Exhibit R4(a) TRUE COPY OF THE FORWARDING LETTER NO. FIN/87/86.3/20 IN RESPECT TO THE FIRST PETITIONER Exhibit R4(b) TRUE COPY OF THE FORWARDING LETTER NO.A.12/PF /B/3157/2020-21 DATED 23.09.2020 IN RESPECT TO THE 2ND PETITIONER.** W.P.(C) No.21838/2020 : 8 : **Exhibit R4(c) TRUE COPY OF THE FORWARDING LETTER NO. MPA/45/6161/2019 DATED 19/02/2019 IN RESPECT TO THE 3RD PETITIONER. Exhibit R4(d) TRUE COPY OF THE FORWARDING LETTER NO. FIN/87/562/2020 DATED 27.07.2020 IN RESPECT TO THE 4TH PETITIONER. Exhibit R4(e) TRUE COPY OF THE FORWARDING LETTER NO. FIN/87/895/2019 DATED 18.07.2019 IN RESPECT TO THE 5TH PETITIONER. Exhibit R4(f) TRUE COPY OF THE FORWARDING LETTER NO. FIN/87/2616/2020 DATED 07.02.2020 IN RESPECT TO THE 6TH PETITIONER. Exhibit R4(g) TRUE COPY OF THE FORWARDING LETTER NO. FIN/87/1463/2019 DATED 06.10.2019 IN RESPECT TO THE 7TH PETITIONER. Exhibit R4(h) TRUE COPY OF THE FORWARDING LETTER NO. FIN/87/888/2020 DATED 24.09.2020 IN RESPECT TO THE 8TH PETITIONER. Exhibit R4(i) TRUE COPY OF THE FORWARDING LETTER NO. FIN/87/1617/2019 DATED 23.10.2019 IN RESPECT TO THE 9TH PETITIONER. Exhibit R4(j) TRUE COPY OF THE FORWARDING LETTER NO. A. 12/PF/B1630/2020-21 DATED 21.07.2020 IN RESPECT TO THE 10TH PETITIONER. Exhibit R4(k) TRUE COPY OF THE FORWARDING LETTER NO.MPA/45/8881/19 DATED 08.07.2019 IN RESPECT TO THE 11TH PETITIONER. Exhibit R4(l) TRUE COPY OF THE FORWARDING LETTER NO. MPA NO. 45/3329/2018 DATED 27.09.2018 IN RESPECT TO THE 12TH PETITIONER. Exhibit R4(m) TRUE COPY OF THE FORWARDING LETTER NO. MPA/45/10606/19 DATED 27.09.2019 IN RESPECT TO THE PETITIONERS NO. 13 TO 16** **Exhibit R4(n) TRUE COPY OF THE FORWARDING LETTER NO.MPA/45/2418/2018 DATED 02.08.18 IN RESPECT TO THE 17TH PETITIONER.**