EPFO Removes Mandatory Cheque/Bank Passbook Upload for Online Claims by Subscribers

The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation, in their circular no. WSU/E-49885/1333, dated 28^th May 2024, has removed the requirement to upload a cheque leaf image or an attested bank passbook when submitting claims online for certain eligible cases, based on certain validations. The EPFO has mentioned more on these validations in the circular.

Previously, updating bank account details as KYC to UAN required the member or employer to upload the data, which then needed to be approved by the employer. The new process now requires members to update their bank account details as part of KYC themselves. This update is verified by the EPFO through an additional check with the bank, similar to Aadhaar verification by UIDAI.

A message in the final part of the said EPFO notification states:
“The bank KYC has been online verified by bank and has been digitally signed by the employer for this case among other validations and therefore, mandatory uploading of the image of cheque leaf/attested bank passbook is not required.”

The EPFO is also in the process of implementing a color-coding system to facilitate claim identification and prevent the department from rejecting claims unduly.

Our Comments

This is a prudent step by the EPFO, as the bank KYC updated in the PF portal is verified with the bank to ensure accuracy. Additionally, it reduces the effort for members applying for online claims.

Moreover, the introduction of color-coded identification, currently in the implementation stage, is expected to reduce processing lead time at the PF office.