IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE V.GIRI TUESDAY, THE 14TH JULY 2009 / 23RD ASHADHA 1931 WP(C).No. 19563 of 2009(M) ----------------------------------------- PETITIONER(S): ------------------------- 1. N.YOUSEPH, SECRETARY, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 2. C.PADMAN, ASSISTANT SECRETARY, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 3. K.SAJEENDRAN, BRANCH MANAGER, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 4. K.V.PRAKASHAN, SENIOR CLERK, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 5. K.P.SAJIMA, SENIOR CLERK, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 6. P.K.VINOD, SENIOR CLERK, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 7. BABU RAJ.K.P, SENIOR CLERK, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 8. P.K.RAJEEVAN, SENIOR ACCOUNTANT, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 9. P.RAJEEVAN, BRANCH MANAGER, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. Kss ..2/- ....2... WPC.NO.19563/2009 M 10. C.V.LASITHA, BRANCH MANAGER, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 11. SHAJINA, PEON, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 12. K.P.MOHANAN, JUNIOR APPRAISER, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 13. N.RAVEENDRAN, JUNIOR APPRAISER, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 14. P.V.SEETHAL, PEON, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 15. N.K.PRATHAPAN, JUNIOR CLERK, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 16. V.P.SUBEESH, PEON, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 17. A.K.CHANDRI, PEON, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 18. V.V.JANARDHANAN, JUNIOR CLERK, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 19. M.PREMA, ATTENDAR, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 20. C.V.JITHESH, PEON, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. Kss ..3/- ...3.... WPC.NO.19563/2009 M 21. P.M.PRAMOD, JUNIOR CLERK, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 22. V.P.RAJESH, JUNIOR CLERK, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 23. K.LOHITHAKSHAN, JUNIOR CLERK, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 24. P.VIJISHA, PEON, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 25. K.M.SHEEJA, PEON, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 26. V.K.VIDHU, PEON, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 27. K.SURENDRAN, ATTENDAR, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 28. MATHEW KURIYAKOSE, PEON, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 29. K.RAJEEV, COLLECTION AGENT, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 30. M.PREETHANAND, COLLECTION AGENT, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 31. K.K.PRAKASHAN, COLLECTION AGENT, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. Kss ..4/- ....4.... WPC.NO.19563/2009 M 32. VIJESH.A, COLLECTION AGENT, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 33. ASHOKAN.K.K, COLLECTION AGENT, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 34. P.K.RAJESH KUMAR, COLLECTION AGENT, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 35. T.K.PAVITHRAN, COLLECTION AGENT, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 36. JITHEESH.P, COLLECTION AGENT, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 37. U.NALANDA, COLLECTION AGENT, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 38. T.P.VINAYAN, COLLECTION AGENT, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 39. V.ASHOKAN, COLLECTION AGENT, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 40. RANJITH.P, COLLECTION AGENT, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 41. N.SAMEENAKUMARI, COLLECTION AGENT, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 42. K.LAKSHMANAN, COLLECTION AGENT, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. Kss ...5/- ...5..... WPC.NO.19563/2009 M 43. K.V.SREEJITH KUMAR, COLLECTION AGENT, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. 44. P.T.SABIRIDAS, APPRAISER, KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT. BY ADVS. MR.E.K.NANDAKUMAR, MR.A.K.JAYASANKAR NAMBIAR, MR.K.JOHN MATHAI, MR.P.BENNY THOMAS, MR.ANIL D. NAIR. RESPONDENT(S): --------------------------- 1. STATE OF KERALA, REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT OF KERALA, DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR, GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 2. THE SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT CO-OPERATIVE DEPARTMENT, GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 3. REGIONAL PROVIDENT FUND COMMISSIONER, EMPLOYEES PROVIDENT FUND ORGANIZATION, SUB REGIONAL OFFICE, V.K.COMPLEX, FORT ROAD, KANNUR. 4. KERALA STATE CO-OPERATIVE EMPLOYEES PENSION BOARD, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - 695 001. REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY. 5. KUTHUPARAMBA CO-OPERATIVE URBAN BANK LTD.NO.985, KUTHUPARAMBA P.O., KANNUR DISTRICT, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRESIDENT. R1 & R2 BY GOVERNMENT PLEADER R3 BY ADV. MR.THOMAS MATHEW NELLIMOOTTIL,SC, P.F. R4 BY ADV. MR. P.V.MOHANAN, SC, KSCO-OP.EMPLOYEES PEN.BRD THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 14/07/2009, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: Kss V.GIRI, J ------------------- W.P.(C).19563/2009 -------------------- Dated this the 14th day of July, 2009 JUDGMENT The petitioners are employees of the 5th respondent, Kuthuparamba Co-Operative Urban Bank Ltd. 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 have issued a notification exempting the 5th respondent W.P.(C).19563/2009 2 from the purview of the Act. Ext.P4, comprehensive representation filed in this behalf before the Government is pending. 3. I heard Mr.Nandakumar, learned counsel for the petitioners, Mr.P.V.Mohanan, learned counsel for the Pension Board and Mr.Thomas Mathew Nellimoottil, 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 W.P.(C).19563/2009 3 direction in Ext.P2 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- 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. V.GIRI, Judge mrcs