Kerala High Court · 2024

RAJASEKHARAN PILLAI R AGED 63 YEARS S/O. RAGHAVAN PILLAI P, UAN NO. 100293560153, RESIDING AT PERUMPILAVIL HOUSE, NEAR LAKEFORD SCHOOL, KAVANAD P.O, KOLLAM, PIN - 691003 ABDUL ZIDDIK K.M AGED 61 YEARS S/O. MUHAMMAD KANNU RAWTHER, UAN NO. 100072235243, RESIDING AT ARANJANAL HOUSE, ALANGAD P.O, MALIKAM PEEDIKA, N PARAVUR TALUK, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 683511 THOMAS JOSE AGED 63 YEARS S/O. THOMAS N.T, UAN NO. 100391412346, RESIDING AT NJARACKAL HOUSE, YUVAJANASAMJAM ROAD, KADAVANTHRA P.O, KOCHI, PIN - 682020 R RAJAGOPALA BHAKTHAN AGED 65 YEARS S/O. RAMACHANDRA BHKTAN, UAN NO. 100292911953 41/2305, RESIDING AT SWATHI THAMMANATH HOUSE, VYLOPPILLY LANE, THAMMANAM, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682032 RAJAN U.K AGED 67 YEARS S/O. KANARAN K.G, UAN NO. 100293233922, RESIDING AT 408 A, CHAITHRAM, PATHIYARAKKARA, VADAKARA, KOZHIKODE, PIN - 673105 VARADARAJAN S AGED 63 YEARS S/O. SRINIVASAN, UAN NO. 100400215873, RESIDING AT B5, SREEHARI APARTMENTS, INFORT, TRIPUNITHURA, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682301 SURESH BABU R AGED 64 YEARS S/O. RAGHAVAN PILLAI, UAN NO. 100374799602, RESIDING AT GOVINDAM, PLOT NO 167, VINOBHA NAGAR, CHILAVANNUR, KADAVANTHRA P.O, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682020 MUHAMMED K AGED 62 YEARS S/O. KOYAKUTTY K, UAN NO. 100236715812, RESIDING AT ABAD HOUSE, 33/2726 D, NEAR MASJID, PULLUPARAMBU ROAD, CHAKKARAPARAMBU, THAMMANAM P.O, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682032 VENUGOPALAN P.N AGED 61 YEARS S/O. NARAYANAN V, UAN NO. 100402791915, RESIDING AT NAVAPUSHPAM, SOUTH CHITTOOR, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682027 SURENDRAN V.N AGED 63 YEARS S/O. NARAYANAN V.C, UAN NO. 100373405737, RESIDING AT VADASSERY HOUSE, NURSARY SCHOOL ROAD, PONNURUNNI EAST, VYTTILA P O, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682019 WP(C) NO. 2493 OF 2024 12 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 GEORGE T.R AGED 66 YEARS S/O. RAPHEL T.A, UAN NO. 100152863345, RESIDING AT THERUVIPARAMBIL HOUSE, JETTY ROAD, VADUTHALA, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682023 EMMANUEL T.L AGED 63 YEARS S/O. LAWRANCE, UAN NO. 100145209364, RESIDING AT THENAMPARAMBIL HOUSE, KARSHAKA ROAD, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682016 MANIKANDAN P.K AGED 63 YEARS S/O. KUMARA MANNADIYAR M, UAN NO. 100218540454, RESIDING AT ARJU VIHAR, VATTEKUNNAM, EDAPPALLY NORH, KOCHI, PIN - 682024 MATHUKUTTY N.P AGED 67 YEARS S/O. OUSEPH PAUL, UAN NO. 100224122665, RESIDING AT NEENDUSSERIYIL, MEMURY P.O, MANJOOR, KOTTAYAM, PIN - 686611 R SATHEESAN AGED 67 YEARS S/O. RAGHAVAN, UAN NO. 100340365487, RESIDING AT CHAITHRAM, THOTTUNGATHARA ROAD, KADAVANTHRA P.O, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682020 SOMAKUMARAN NAIR C.G AGED 67 YEARS S/O. GOPALAN NAIR, UAN NO. 100359428517, RESIDING AT NANDANAM, LANE NO. 7, CHAITHANYA NAGAR, EROOR WEST P.O, TRIPUNITHURA, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682036 RAJENDRA KUMAR P.S AGED 66 YEARS S/O. SREEDHARAN PILLAI K, UAN NO. 100295067671, RESIDING AT SK FWA 2, AATHIRA, THOTTUNGATHARA ROAD, KADAVANTHRA, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682020 THANKAPPAN K AGED 67 YEARS S/O. KANNAN, UAN NO. 100390909090, RESIDING AT SOUMYALAYAM, AISWARAYA NAGAR, KADAVANTHRA, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682020 VASUDEVAN P.R AGED 65 YEARS S/O. RAMAN P.K, UAN NO. 100401080521, RESIDING AT PUTHIYA MADATHIL HOUSE, VIVEKANANDA LANE, GATE NO 57, VADOOKARAP O, KOORKKANCHERY, VADOOKKARA P.O, TRISSUR, PIN - 680007 FRANCIS SIMENTHY AGED 66 YEARS S/O. SIMON SIMENTHY, UAN NO. 100146567102, RESIDING AT MALLAMAYI PARAMBIL, KALLUR VADAKKUMMURI, KADUKUTTY, THRISSUR, PIN - 680309 MADHUSUTHANAN D WP(C) NO. 2493 OF 2024 13 AGED 65 YEARS S/O. DIVAKARAN N, UAN NO. 100212645934, RESIDING AT ANJILIKKAVIL, PULINCHVADU, VAIKOM P.O, KOTTAYAM, PIN - 686141 ASMA IBRAHIMKUTTY AGED 67 YEARS W/O. IBRAHIMKUTTY D.P, UAN NO. 100095393538, RESIDING AT SUHARA MANZIL, JUMA MASCHID, KACHERIPADY, PALLURUTHY, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682006 ABDURAHIMAN P AGED 67 YEARS S/O. HASSAN KUNJI, UAN NO. 100072299591, RESIDING AT KEDAVUR, THACHAMPOYIL P.O, THAMARASSERY, KOZHIKODE, PIN - 673573 SURESH P.N AGED 64 YEARS S/O. NARAYANAN P.V, UAN NO. 100374382923, RESIDING AT SUNITHA NIVAS, SOUTH VAZHAKKULAM P.O, ALUVA, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 683105 VIJAYAN P AGED 60 YEARS S/O. KUNJAMBU K.V, UAN NO. 100405136472, RESIDING AT 4 B, YESORAM ABAD, DROUPATHI LANE, THAMMANAM, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682032 JOSE V.J AGED 62 YEARS S/O. JOSEPH V.P, UAN NO. 100178133275, RESIDING AT 29/2131 B, VIRUTHIYIL HOUSE, AKG ROAD, THYKOODAM, VYTTILA P.O, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682019 SADANANDAN T.K AGED 66 YEARS S/O. KUMARAN A.E, UAN NO. 100326500421, RESIDING AT THITTAPPILLIL HOUSE, T K C ROAD, VADUTHALA P.O, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682023 PRAMODE K. P AGED 60 YEARS S/O. PRABHAKARAN K . K, UAN NO.100277038339, RESIDING AT KATTIPARAMBIL, NAYARAMBALAM, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682509 NALINAKSHAN . C AGED 61 YEARS S/O. MADHAVAN NAIR, UAN NO.100248740591, RESIDING AT KIZHAKKEDATH, L I G 16, SASTRI NAGAR, SMARTO ROAD, KADAVANTHRA, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682020 THILAKAN P.K AGED 62 YEARS S/O. KUTTAPPAN N. K, UAN NO.100391124349, RESIDING AT PEREKUDY, VARIKOLY P O, CHEMMANADU, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682308 M.D VARGHESE AGED 64 YEARS 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 WP(C) NO. 2493 OF 2024 14 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 S/O. DOMINIC M. P, UAN NO.100400312613, RESIDING AT 63-SNRA, SOUHRUDAYA NAGAR, EDAPPALLY P O, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682024 NIKARTHIL VELAYUDHAN SURESH BABU AGED 62 YEARS S/O. VELAYUDHAN V .K, UAN NO.100374799128, RESIDING AT NIKARTHIL HOUSE, VELLIYATHARA NARAYANAN ROAD, PALLURUTHY P O, PERUMPADAPPU, KOCHI, PIN - 682006 SURENDRAN. M AGED 63 YEARS S/O. KUTTAN MADHAVAN, UAN NO.100373399858, RESIDING AT POOVANKERIPARAMBIL, NORTH JANATHA, 117- YMJ RODD, PALARIVATTOM P O, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682025 SASI A .V AGED 64 YEARS S/O. VELU, UAN NO. 100339908419, RESIDING AT ALUNKAL, 8/137 B, NEDUMPURATHU LANE, ERUVELI, PALACE SQUARE, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682312 PREMDAS P. R AGED 62 YEARS S/O. RAGHAVAN,UAN NO.100280798894, RESIDING AT PULIMOOTTIL PARAMBIL, MAHATHMA NAGAR, KANAYANNOOR, CHOTTANIKKARA, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682312 SUDHIESH P. V AGED 61 YEARS S/O. VELAYUDHAN,UAN NO100365884100, RESIDING AT KALARIKKAL HOUSE, UNICHIRA, CHANGAMPUZHA NAGAR P O, VAZHAKKALA VILLAGE, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682033 P MANOMOHANAN NAMBIAR AGED 66 YEARS S/O. K T N SUKUMARAN NAMBIAR, UAN NO. 100222443276, RESIDING AT PADMASHREE, PUTHIYA KAVU ROAD, VELLUR P O, PAYYANNUR, KANNUR, PIN - 670307 GEORGE MAMAN AGED 66 YEARS S/O. VARGHESE, UAN NO.100152851701, RESIDING AT PULICKAL HOUSE,KADAYIRUPPU P O, AIKKARANAD NORTH, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682311 KISHORE A. K AGED 64 YEARS S/O. KUMARAN.C, UAN NO. 100194723188, RESIDING AT H NO 22,GIRINAGAR SOUTH, AMEPARAMBIL HOUSE, KADAVANTHRA, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682020 RAMALINGAM. S AGED 67 YEARS S/O. SUBRAMANIAN.S, UAN NO.100303122445, RESIDING AT FLAT NO S 1, NAVARATHNA APARTMENT, KOLATHERRY ROAD, POONITHURA P O, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682038 BY ADVS. WP(C) NO. 2493 OF 2024 15 C.S.SINDHU KRISHNAH R.SANJITH RESPONDENT/S: 1 2 3 4 UNION OF INDIA REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT, DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT, NEW DELHI, PIN - 110001 THE EMPLOYEES PROVIDENT FUND ORGANISATION REPRESENTED BY THE CHIEF PROVIDENT COMMISSIONER, BHAVISHYA NIDHI BHAVAN, 14, BHIKAJI CAMA PALACE, NEW DELHI, PIN - 110066 REGIONAL PROVIDENT FUND COMMISSIONER THE EMPLOYEES PROVIDENT FUND ORGANISATION KALOOR, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682017 COCHIN SHIPYARD LTD (CSL) PERUMANOOR PO, COCHIN KERALA,REPRESENTED BY ITS MANAGING DIRECTOR, PIN - 682015 SRI.SAJEEV KUMAR K. GOPAL, SC SRI.SAJI VARGHESE, SC THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON

23.01.2024, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: WP(C) NO. 2493 OF 2024 16 JUDGMENT The petitioners state that they are employees in the service of the 4th respondent and they have all attained superannuation on various dates after 1.9.2014. The changes brought about by the Employees Pension (Amendment) Scheme, 2014, and the provisions of Employees Pension Scheme, 1995 were the subject matter of consideration before the Hon’ble Supreme Court, and the same was upheld in Employees’ Provident Fund and Organisation and Another v. Sunil Kumar B1 and certain directions were issued. The petitioners contend that in terms of the directions issued by the Apex Court, the petitioners have submitted their Joint Option Forms before the respondents 2 and 3. Their grievance concerns the inaction on the part of the respondents in processing the application in an expeditious manner. It is on these assertions that this writ petition is filed seeking the following reliefs: i) To issue a writ of mandamus and command the respondents 2 and 3 to process the joint option forms preferred by the petitioners in accordance with the Judgment EPFO & Anr. Etc. Vs. Sunil Kumar B. & Ors., SLP (C) NO. 8658-8659/2019, within a time frame to be fixed by this Honourable Court. ii) To issue a writ of mandamus and command respondents 2 and 3 not to charge interest on the amount to be deposited by the petitioners for the period subsequent to the date on which they have submitted the joint option under paragraph 11 1 [2022 (7) KHC 12] WP(C) NO. 2493 OF 2024 17 of the Scheme 1995. iii) To issue a writ of mandamus and command respondents 1 to 3 to retain petitioners in Scheme,1995 and confer them all the pensionary benefits under pre¬-amended paragraph 11(3) as also the amended paragraph 11 of the Scheme 1995 after computing the pensionable salary on the average monthly pay including on piece rate basis during drawn in any manner contributory period of service in the span of sixty months preceding their respective dates of exit from the membership of the Pension Fund, within a time frame to be fixed by this Honourable Court. iv) To issue a writ of mandamus and command respondents 1 to 3 to grant interest @ 12% per annum on the arrears of monthly pension, after computing the pensionable salary on the average monthly pay drawn in any manner including on piece rate basis during contributory period of service in the span of sixty months preceding their from the membership of the Pension Fund, from their respective dates of retirement to the actual date of payment, within a time frame to be fixed by this Honourable Court. respective dates of exit

2. I have heard Sri.R. Sanjith, the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner, Sri. Sajeev Kumar K. Gopal, the learned Standing Counsel appearing for respondents 2 and 3 and Sri. Saji Varghese, the learned counsel appearing for the 4th respondent.

3. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioners submitted that identical issues were considered by this Court, and Ext.P4 judgment has been passed, directing the respondents to consider the joint option within a period of four months.

4. The learned Standing Counsel appearing for respondents 2 and 3 submitted that a much longer period would be required to WP(C) NO. 2493 OF 2024 18 process the option. Having considered the facts and circumstances and the submissions made across the bar, there will be a direction to respondents 2 and 3 to consider the Joint Option submitted by the petitioners and conclude the process in tune with the law laid down in Sunilkumar (supra) expeditiously, in any event, within five months from the date of receipt of a copy of this judgment. The petitioners shall produce a copy of the writ petition along with this judgment before the concerned respondent to ensure compliance. Sru Sd/- RAJA VIJAYARAGHAVAN V JUDGE WP(C) NO. 2493 OF 2024 19 APPENDIX OF WP(C) 2493/2024 PETITIONER EXHIBITS Exhibit P1 Exhibit P2 Exhibit P3 Exhibit P4 TRUE COPY OF THE CIRCULAR BEARING NO PENSION/2022/56259/16541 DATED 20/02/2023 ISSUED BY THE 2ND RESPONDENT TRUE COPY OF THE JUDGMENT DATED 04.11.2022 IN EPFO & ANR. ETC. VS. SUNIL KUMAR B. & ORS., SLP (C) NO. 8658-8659 OF 2019 TRUE COPY OF THE DEMAND LETTER DATED 29/11/2023 ISSUED BY 3RD RESPONDENT TRUE COPY OF THE JUDGEMENT DATED 11/09/2023 IN W.P(C) 17572/2023 OF THE HONOURABLE HIGH COURT OF KERALA