In Brief
This case involved multiple consolidated petitions challenging the Employees' Pension Scheme (Amendment) 2014 and the determination of pensionable salary for provident fund contributors. The core dispute concerned whether employees could exercise a pension scheme option after a 1 September 2014 cut-off date, and whether such post-retirement exercise would violate equality principles. The High Court of Kerala had set aside the amendments as arbitrary. A two-Judge Bench found the substantive issues—particularly whether a cut-off date exists and the precedential weight of prior decisions—required a larger Bench and remanded the matter for determination by at least three Judges, declining to settle these fundamental questions affecting employee pension and provident fund rights."
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