EPFO brings down consumer court cases by 46 pc under special drive
New Delhi, May 19
The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation has brought down consumer court cases by 46 per cent under a focused, mission-mode drive aimed at reducing litigation and ensuring faster resolution of pending cases across legal forums, it was announced on Tuesday.
Moreover, EPFO launched a dedicated drive for disposal of cases pending before consumer courts under the "Nidhi Aapke Nikat (NAN)" programme, where cases were identified in advance and taken up for expedited resolution.
As a result, consumer court pendency declined from 4,936 as of 1 April 2024 to 2,646 as of 31 March 2026, a reduction of 2,290 cases or 46.39 per cent.
The organisation said it is also proactively identifying pending cases and reaching out to citizens through the NAN programme to enable faster grievance redressal.
Overall litigation pendency has also come down, with total cases reducing from 31,036 as on 1 April 2025 to 27,639 as on 1 April 2026, a decline of 3,397 cases, marking the lowest-ever level of pendency in EPFO.
Special emphasis on long-pending cases has also yielded results, with cases pending for more than 10 years falling from 8,539 to 4,665, a reduction of 3,874 cases or 45.4 per cent.
In another initiative, EPFO conducted a nationwide special campaign during February-March 2026 for cases pending before Central Government Industrial Tribunals (CGITs), focusing on disputes related to interest payable by employers on delayed remittances under the EPF & MP Act, 1952.
Zone-wise nodal officers were appointed to coordinate with stakeholders and tribunals.
The campaign resulted in disposal of 353 appeals, while efforts are underway for disposal of another 650 cases.
Earlier in April, the EPFO recorded its highest-ever claim settlements in the financial year 2025-26. According to official data, it settled 8.31 crore claims during 2025-26, a significant jump from 6.01 crore claims in FY 2024-25.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Impressive numbers but let's be honest - 2,646 cases still pending in consumer courts is 2,646 too many. My PF withdrawal took 7 months last year despite submitting all documents. These drives are good but need to be sustained, not just one-time campaigns. Also, why are cases even going to consumer courts in the first place? Shouldn't EPFO be resolving these internally without forcing citizens to litigate? 🤔
This is what we need - accountability and action! The 45% reduction in cases pending for over 10 years is particularly commendable. Imagine waiting a decade for your own money! 🇮🇳 The 8.31 crore claims settled in FY26 is mind-blowing too. Shows what can be achieved with proper digitisation and focused efforts. Hope other government departments take notes.
As someone working in a multinational here, I can say these improvements matter for ease of doing business too. When employees know their PF is safe and claims are processed quickly, it builds trust in the system. The 46% reduction in litigation means less stress for workers and employers alike. Keep it up, EPFO! 👍
Numbers look great on paper but ground reality is different. My PF claim from 2022 is still stuck and nobody can tell me why. These drives are usually window dressing - they target easy cases to clear while complex ones remain. Rather than celebrating a 46% reduction, maybe we should ask why there were 4,936 cases in consumer courts at all. The root cause is poor service from EPFO offices. Fix that first! 💢
S Sarah B