A regional office of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) in Chandigarh has asked its employees to work on March 31 despite it being a gazetted holiday because of Eid.
The regional provident fund commissioner of the EPFO in Chandigarh issued the order on Tuesday. A member of the Central Board of Trustees (CBT), the top decision-making body of the EPFO, and a former central provident fund commissioner (CPFC) criticised the decision.
“In view of the deadline fixed by the head office in respect to issuance of demand notices to all the pensioners by 31.03.2025, no staff of officer, including contractual staff, shall leave office before 7pm. The office shall remain working on 29.03.2025, 30.03-2025 and 31.03.2025 or till disposal of PoHW (pension on higher wages) applications by virtue of issue of demand letters or rejection of joint option application, whichever is earlier...,” the order said.
EPFO sources said work was pending because of an increase in workload and 30 to 40 per cent vacancy in every regional office. Most vacancies are at the Group-B level. Promotion, too, is delayed for low-grade employees.
CBT member R. Kurumaliyan said that asking employees to come on Eid was a violation of statutory rights. “In factories, the employer cannot force any worker to come on religious festival days. If any worker is not celebrating the occasion, the employer can negotiate with the employees and allow them to take an off on another day. But forcing employees to come for work on festivals like Eid violates the secular ethos that needsto be promoted,” Kurumaliyan said.
Former CPFC V.P. Joy said there could be a heavy workload. “Normally, work is not done on gazetted holidays. I feel that the people whoare celebrating the occasion will get leave if they apply,” Joy said.
Axe on meat shops
The Delhi government has announced that all unlicensed meat and fish sellers in the capital will be removed, a move that could dampen the Eid spirits here.
While such drives are routine and legitimate, the announcement came in reply to a BJP MLA during Zero Hour in the Delhi Assembly on Thursday. The legislator demanded prohibition on the sale of meat and fish during Navratri from March 30 to April 6, overlapping with Eid on March 31 or April 1.
