IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE V.GIRI TUESDAY, THE 28TH JULY 2009 / 6TH SRAVANA 1931 WP(C).No. 21181 of 2009(P) -------------------------- PETITIONER(S): PETITIONER. -------------------------- 1. R.PRESANNAN NAIR, SECRETARY, KONNI MARKETING C0-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD.NO.Q.434 KONNI P.O., PATHANAMTHITTA-689 691. 2. P.S.SAINABA BEEVI,ASSISTANT SECRETARY, KONNI MARKETING C0-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD.NO.Q.434 KONNI P.O., PATHANAMTHITTA-689 691. 3. V.S.HARIDAS,TECHNICIAN, KONNI MARKETING C0-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD.NO.Q.434, KONNI P.O., PATHANAMTHITTA-689 691. 4. K.M.MATHEW, GRADER, KONNI MARKETING C0-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD.NO.Q.434, KONNI P.O., PATHANAMTHITTA-689 691. 5. THOMS MATHEW, ACCOUNTANT, KONNI MARKETING C0-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD.NO.Q.434, KONNI P.O., PATHANAMTHITTA-689 691. 6. S.PRASAD,ASSISTANT GRADER, KONNI MARKETING C0-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD.NO.Q.434, KONNI P.O., PATHANAMTHITTA-689 691. 7. K.RAJENDRAN NAIR, CASHER, KONNI MARKETING C0-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD.NO.Q.434, KONNI P.O., PATHANAMTHITTA-689 691. 8. K.K.HARIKUMAR,ATTENDER, KONNI MARKETING C0-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD.NO.Q.434, KONNI P.O., PATHANAMTHITTA-689 691. 9. AJI JOSEPH,TYPIST, KONNI MARKETING C0-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD.NO.Q.434, KONNI P.O., PATHANAMTHITTA-689 691. WP(C).No. 21181 of 2009 :: 2 :: 10. J.ANILKUMAR, ASSISTANT TECHNICIAN, KONNI MARKETING C0-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD.NO.Q.434, KONNI P.O., PATHANAMTHITTA-689 691. 11. S.JAYA, SENIOR CLERK, KONNI MARKETING C0-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD.NO.Q.434, KONNI P.O., PATHANAMTHITTA-689 691. 12. K.M.DHANUSH, ATTENDAR, KONNI MARKETING C0-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD.NO.Q.434, KONNI P.O., PATHANAMTHITTA-689 691. 13. G.ABHILASH, JUNIOR CLERK, KONNI MARKETING C0-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD.NO.Q.434, KONNI P.O., PATHANAMTHITTA-689 691. 14. SHINI B. NAIR, JUNIOR CLERK, KONNI MARKETING C0-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD.NO.Q.434, KONNI P.O., PATHANAMTHITTA-689 691. BY ADV. SRI.E.K.NANDAKUMAR SRI.A.K.JAYASANKAR NAMBIAR SRI.K.JOHN MATHAI SRI.P.BENNY THOMAS SRI.ANIL D. NAIR RESPONDENT(S): 1 ---------------- 1. STATE OF KERALA REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT OF KERALA, DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR, GOVERNMENT SECRETRAIT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 2. THE SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT, CO-OPERTIVE DEPARTMENT, GOVERNMENT SECRETRAIT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 3. REGIONAL PROVIDENT FUND COMMISSIONER, EMPLOYEES PROVIDENT FUND ORGANIZATION, REGIONAL OFFICE, BHAVISHYANIDHI BHAVAN, PATTOM, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM-695 004. 4. KERALA STE CO-OPERTIVE EMPLOYEES PENSION BOARD, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM-695 001. REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY. WP(C).No. 21181 of 2009 :: 3 :: 5. KONNI MARKETING C0-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD NO.Q.434 KONNI P.O., PATHANAMTHITTA DISTRICT, REPRESENTED BY ITS CHAIRMAN. SC FOR PF SRI.THOMAS MATHEW NELLIMOOTTIL BY GOVERNMENT PLEADER SRI.P.NARAYANAN THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 28/07/2009, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: V.GIRI, J. ------------------------------------ W.P.(C).No.21181 of 2009 ------------------------------------ Dated this the 28th day of July, 2009. JUDGMENT The petitioners are the employees of the 5th respondent Co-operative Rural Bank. The 5th respondent is a deemed society under the provisions of the Co-operative Societies Act, 1969. The Employees' Provident and Miscellaneous Provisions Act {for short 'the Act'} is applicable to the 5th respondent and the employees of the 5th respondent bank are members of the Employees' Pension Scheme. The self-financing scheme of the Co-operative Societies in the State was brought into force in the year 1994 and thereupon the Government issued Ext.P1 notification exempting the primary co-operative societies of the State, from the application of the provisions of the Employees' Pension Scheme, 1995 framed under the Act. 2. It is the contention of the petitioners that the pension scheme under the Act is more beneficial to the 5th respondent and if that be so, the Government ought not to W.P.(C).No.21181 of 2009 :: 2 :: have issued a notification exempting the 5th respondent from the purview of the Act. Ext.P4, comprehensive representation filed in this behalf before the Government is pending. 3. I heard learned counsel for the petitioners and learned counsel for the Employees Provident Fund. 4. What is claimed is a facility to be governed by the Act itself and this would normally have been given effect to, but for Ext.P1. The request made by the workmen themselves requires to be considered by the Government. 5. Accordingly, there will be a direction to the 1st respondent to consider Ext.P4 and if the request is found to be acceptable, after notice to the 5th respondent, appropriate changes may be made qua the 5th respondent to Ext.P1 notification. A decision shall be taken within three months from the date of receipt of a copy of this judgment. The direction in Ext.P4 insofar as the employees of the 5th respondent bank is concerned to transfer the emoluments under the EPF Account pursuant to Ext.P1, to the co- W.P.(C).No.21181 of 2009 :: 3 :: operative self-financing scheme account shall be kept in abeyance till a decision is taken on Ext.P4, as mentioned above. Writ petition is disposed of as above. Sd/- (V.GIRI) JUDGE sk/ //true copy// P.S. to Judge