EPF account: The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), the retirement fund body, has made Aadhaar seeding mandatory for all Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) accounts from 1st June 2021. The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has directed the employers that ECR (Electronic Challan cum Return) is allowed for only those EPFO members whose account is Aadhaar seeded.
This means, if an EPF account is not linked to the accountholder’s Aadhaar number, then the employer’s contribution won’t get credited to such an EPF account. The EPFO also made it clear that the employer’s EPF contribution won’t be credited those EPF accounts whose UAN is not Aadhaar verified.
nforming concerning the new guideline the EPFO knowledgeable employers and mentioned, “Dear Employer, with the approaching into pressure of the Section 142 of the Code on Social Security, 2020, the ECR shall be allowed to be filed just for these members, whose Aadhaar numbers are seeded and verified with the UANs, w.e.f 01.06.2021.”
The EPFO went on to add, “Accordingly, please ensure the Aadhaar seeding in respect of all the contributory members to enable them to avail uninterrupted services of the EPFO and to avoid any inconvenience.”
While many employers do ask for Aadhaar details at the time induction of employees, it was not mandatory for registration as an EPF member. “Under the current legal framework with respect to EPF and ESI (employees’ state insurance), Aadhaar is not required for registration as member but is required for making withdrawals from the provident fund and availing benefits from ESIC. Under the social security code, Aadhaar linking is a pre-requisite for registration as member and being a beneficiary as well,” says Pooja Ramchandani, Partner with law firm Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas.
Therefore, it is best to ensure that you complete the seeding process as soon as possible this month. You can do this by logging into to www.epfindia.gov.in with your username and password. “The circular is effective June 1, 2021, which means that remittances due on June 15, too, could be affected. Employers have started reaching out to their employees to complete the Aadhaar-UAN linking process,” says Kasturirangan.
To link Aadhaar number with EPF, one needs to log in at the EPFO portal — epfindia.gov.in and follow some simple steps.
Here is step by step guide to link Aadhaar with EPF account:
1] Log in at the EPFO official portal — epfindia.gov.in;
2] Click at ‘Online Services’ option followed by ‘e-KYC portal’ and ‘Link UAN Aadhaar’;
3] Enter you UAN number and the registered mobile number;
4] OTP will come at the registered mobile number;
5] Enter OTP and your 12-digit Aadhaar number;
6] Click at the ‘Submit’ button;
7] Click at ‘OTP Verification’ option;
8] Create OTP on your registered mobile number of mail linked to your Aadhaar number for verification of your Aadhaar details.
EPFO will communicate to your employers for authentication of your Aadhaar-EPF linking. Once the recruiter authenticates your Aadhaar seeding with EPF account, your EPF account will get linked to your Aadhaar number.
