Letters Patent Appeal No.894 of 2011 -1- **** IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Letters Patent Appeal No.894 of 2011(O&M) Date of decision: 24.5.2011 Regional Provident Fund Commissioner ...Appellant Versus Employees Provident Fund Appellate Tribunal ...Respondent and other connected appeals being Letters Patent Appeals No.895 and 896 of 2011. CORAM: HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE ADARSH KUMAR GOEL, ACTING CHIEF JUSTICE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE AJAY KUMAR MITTAL Present: Mr. Kamal Sehgal, Advocate for the appellant. ADARSH KUMAR GOEL, ACJ. 1. This order will dispose of LPAs No.894, 895 and 896 of 2011, as it is stated that all these appeals involve common question. 2. LPA No. 894 of 2011 has been preferred against the order of learned Single Judge declining interference with the reduction of amount of pre-deposit by the Employees Provident Fund Appellate Tribunal as a condition for hearing the appeal under the provisions of Employees Provident Fund & Misc. Provisions Act, 1952. 3. Only contention which has been raised on behalf of the appellant is that no reason was recorded by the Tribunal for Letters Patent Appeal No.894 of 2011 -2- **** reducing the requirement of pre-deposit of 75% of the amount assessed as due while exercising discretion as per proviso to Section 7 O of the Act. 4. We do not find any ground to interfere with the impugned order. No doubt the proviso to Section 7 O of the Act requires reasons to be recorded for waiving predeposit, the Tribunal has observed that in the interest of justice, the condition of pre-deposit of 75% was required to be reduced to 30%. Learned Single Judge rightly held that such requirement could be waived or reduced depending upon the hardship involved. It may be desirable to briefly indicate the hardship but such power is exercised in the interest of justice having regard to the facts and circumstances indicating financial hardship. Having regard to the discretionary nature of order passed, no interference is called for. The appeal is dismissed. A photocopy of this order be placed on the file of each of the connected cases. (Adarsh Kumar Goel) Acting Chief Justice May 24, 2011 (Ajay Kumar Mittal) Pka Judge