Notification No. S.O. 2696(E), Dated: 29.05.2026
The Central Government has issued a notification authorising and appointing various officers of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) to exercise powers under Chapter III of the Code on Social Security, 2020, which relates to Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF).
The appointments are applicable across India and are intended to operationalise enforcement, recovery and compliance mechanisms under the Code.
1. EPFO Officers Appointed Under the Code
The notification covers the following categories of EPFO officers:
- Central Provident Fund Commissioners
- Additional Central Provident Fund Commissioners
- Regional Provident Fund Commissioners
- Assistant Provident Fund Commissioners
- Enforcement Officers
These officers have been entrusted with specific statutory powers and functions under Chapter III of the Code on Social Security, 2020.
2. Appointment as Recovery Officers
The notified officers have been appointed as Recovery Officers for purposes of recovery of dues and enforcement of provident fund-related obligations under the Code.
They shall exercise powers relating to recovery proceedings in accordance with the statutory framework governing Employees’ Provident Fund contributions and related liabilities.
3. Appointment as Inspector-cum-Facilitators
The notification also designates the specified EPFO officers as Inspector-cum-Facilitators.
In this capacity, they will be responsible for:
- Inspection of establishments
- Compliance verification
- Monitoring of statutory obligations
- Facilitation of compliance under the Employees’ Provident Fund framework
- Enforcement of provisions of the Code
The Inspector-cum-Facilitator framework is intended to combine compliance assistance with regulatory oversight.
4. Authority to Levy Damages and File Complaints
The Government has further authorised the notified officers to:
- Levy damages under applicable provisions of the Code; and
- File complaints for violations relating to Employees’ Provident Fund obligations
These powers are intended to strengthen enforcement and ensure compliance with social security requirements.
5. Applicability Across India
The appointments shall apply throughout India in respect of matters governed by Chapter III of the Code on Social Security, 2020.
The authorised officers will exercise powers within their respective jurisdictions in accordance with the Code and related rules.
6. Objective of the Notification
The notification seeks to operationalise the enforcement framework under the Code on Social Security, 2020 by empowering EPFO officers with recovery, inspection and adjudicatory functions.
The move is intended to strengthen compliance monitoring, improve recovery of provident fund dues and ensure effective implementation of Employees’ Provident Fund provisions across the country.
Click Here To Read The Full Notification
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