The original deadline of May 3, 2023, was extended to June 26, 2023, giving eligible pensioners and members a full four months to submit their applications
The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has offered an extension to employers to process and upload pending applications linked with the validation of options or joint options for pensions on higher wages, according to a recent media report.
The Ministry of Labour and Employment took this decision after repeated requests from employers and their associations for a longer time to complete the required submissions. On February 26, 2023, the online application submission facility was launched, following the Supreme Court’s (SC) order dated November 4, 2022.
While earlier, the submission deadline was May 3, 2023, it was extended to June 26, 2023, offering eligible pensioners and members a four-month window to apply. Along with this, a 15-day grace period was provided, with the final submission deadline set for July 11, 2023. Within this time, EPFO had received 17.49 lakh applications.
Even after several extensions, over 3.1 lakh applications remain pending owing to challenges employers have faced in uploading the much-needed wage details. After continuous appeals, EPFO has now extended the final deadline to January 31, 2025, for employers to complete the processing and uploading of pending applications.
Moreover, EPFO has urged employers to share their responses to clarifications or updates in over 4.66 lakh cases where extra information is required. Employers are compelled to provide the requested information by January 15, 2025, to ensure the smooth completion of the process, following the SC’s directive.
The final extension offers employers an important opportunity to fulfill their responsibilities and ensure that all pending applications for pension validation are processed and uploaded in compliance with the court’s ruling.