Kozhikode: New figures from the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) show that only a quarter of those who applied for higher PF pensions are eligible for pensions proportionate to their salaries.

The EPFO, responding to an RTI application, stated that of the 17.49 lakh applications received by September 1, as many as 10.83 lakh have been deemed ineligible. Earlier, around 2.24 lakh applications were dropped after employers failed to return them with approval for the higher option.

With this, the number of people eligible for a higher pension will drop to less than 4.5 lakh. The sharp rise in ineligible cases is largely due to the mass rejection of applications from employees of firms classified in the ‘exempted category,’ which have their own PF trusts to manage employee provident fund contributions. As many as 9 lakh of the total applications belonged to this category.

However, there is already a Supreme Court order in favour of employees in this exempted category and legal proceedings are also ongoing in various courts, including the apex court. If the EPFO is eventually bound by the court order, it may have to reconsider the majority of these rejected applications.

In an RTI reply received in October last year, the EPFO stated that 90,919 persons from Kerala had submitted applications for a higher pension option. However, the latest RTI response did not address a query regarding the current status of these applicants.

4.23 lakh demand notices issued
So far, the EPFO has issued 4,23,717 demand notices indicating the additional amount to be paid into the pension fund. It has sought further details from employers in 5,881 cases, while 10,989 applications are still under verification.

Of those who retired from service, 1,19,642 individuals have paid the demanded amount to the EPFO. Among them, 1,04,642 have already been issued payment orders, with the remainder expected to receive theirs soon.

Meanwhile, the EPFO has rejected 24,815 applications even after issuing demand notices. The reasons for these rejections have not yet been clarified.