The Supreme Court on Friday said a plea seeking revision of the wage ceiling under the Employees’ Provident Fund Scheme did not require further consideration after the Union Cabinet approved raising the limit to Rs 25,000 per month from Rs 15,000.
A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Augustine George Masih noted that the relief sought in the petition had effectively been addressed by the Cabinet decision. The matter came up during hearing of a plea that said the existing wage ceiling had remained unchanged since 2014 and sought its immediate revision.
During the hearing, the bench told the petitioner’s lawyer, “We saw in the newspapers. All your prayers have been granted.”
The petitioner’s counsel, however, said a notification on the decision had not yet been issued. The bench then said, “We take notice of the said submission and we find that the writ petition would not call for any further consideration as we think that following the Cabinet decision, the consequential steps would be taken by the respondents.”
It also told the petitioner’s counsel, “The newspapers said they have taken a Cabinet decision. They will notify.”
The government on September 16 approved raising the wage ceiling for mandatory coverage under the EPFO to Rs 25,000 per month from Rs 15,000, with the aim of expanding access to provident fund savings and pension protection. Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had said at a press briefing that the decision was expected to bring more than 51 lakh additional employees under mandatory EPFO coverage. He had said, “Rs 25,000 per month salary will be the new ceiling for provident fund deduction”.
The Ministry of Labour and Employment had said the revised ceiling would take effect from Vishwakarma Day on September 17.
The plea had also sought directions to the Centre and the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation to consider and implement a dynamic formula or objective criteria for future revisions of the wage ceiling under the Employees’ Provident Fund Scheme. It further asked for a mandatory mechanism for annual periodic revision of the wage ceiling in line with economic indicators such as minimum wages, inflation, consumer price index, income tax exemption thresholds and per capita net national income.
The EPFO wage ceiling had remained unchanged from 2004 to 2014, before being raised to Rs 15,000 in September 2014, and the latest Cabinet decision has now cleared the way for another increase.
– Ends
Published By:
India Today Web Desk
Published On:
Sep 18, 2026 16:29 IST
