Delhi HC extends deadline to seed Aadhaar with UAN; warns EPFO against coercive measures

The Delhi High Court has extended the deadline for the seeding of the Aadhaar number and the Universal Account Number's (UAN) verification until November 30. Justice Prathiba M Singh, while passing this order, maintained that the employers would be permitted to deposit the provident fund for the ones whose seeding has not taken place. The Delhi HC also said that no coercive measures shall be taken.

The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) said that the deadline for linking has been extended until December 31 for establishments in the North East and a certain class of establishments. It also said that no further extension would be granted for certain employees whose Aadhaar is not seeded with the UAN as adequate time has already passed since the first notification came out in October 2017. The court was informed that the total number of employees whose validation is yet to be done is only 29,26,479.

What did the Delhi HC say?

Justice Prathiba M Singh was hearing a petition regarding the extension of the deadline for Aadhaar number seeding along with the UAN verification. The Delhi HC passed an order that allowed employees to deposit their provident fund until November 30.

Justice Pratiba Singh maintained that unless the issue of mandatory seeding of the Aadhaar judgement is legally valid, there cannot be any exclusion of benefits to employees reasoning failure to validate the Aadhaar card. The HC order read, "In the meantime, employers shall be permitted to deposit the provident funds in respect of employees for whom seeding has not taken place and no coercive measures shall be taken against them for non-seeding of Aadhaar numbers with UAN."

EPFO to appoint Grievance Redressal Officer

The court, which was hearing a petition by the Association of Industries and Institutions, clarified that the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) would appoint a Grievance Redressal Officer, who can be contacted by the petitioner's members or any other employer, to ensure that the deposits are not delayed and are made on time.

The court said that for employees whose Aadhaar numbers have already been provided to the EPFO, the provident fund shall be permitted to be deposited by the employers without awaiting verification from the Unique Identification Authority of India.

No coercive measures ensure Delhi HC

The Delhi HC while passing the order stressed that no coercive measures be taken against the employers. The petitioner is an association of various entities stated to be owning and running industrial/commercial establishments, factories and institutions.

It moved the court against an EPFO circular issued on June 1, which made it mandatory to seed Aadhaar number along with the UAN, generated under the Employees Provident Fund & Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952. As per a central government circular issued on June 15, the deadline for compliance was set as September 1.

With inputs from ANI

Image Credits - ANI