The Employee Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) account holders heave a sigh of relief as the deadline for seeding the Aadhaar number with the universal account number (UAN) for filing electronic challan-cum-returns (ECR) has been extended till September 1, 2021, as reported by NDTV Profit.

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This has been done amid the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure EPFO accountholders don't face any inconvenience.

Earlier the deadline was June 2021. An officer’s order issued by the Employee Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) showed that now that date for filing ECR (electronic challan cum receipt or PF return) with Aadhaar UANs has a new deadline of September 1, 2021.

This mandatory seeding process came into effect after the labor ministry issued a notice on May 3, which notified the bodies and ministry working under it to seek Aadhaar number of beneficiaries under the Social Security Code. On June 1, the EPFO had issued a notice saying ECR shall be allowed to be filled only by those members whose Aadhaar numbers are seeded and verified with the UAN, with effect from June 1, 2021. 

The Social Security Code was passed by the parliament last year,  “… the central government hereby appoints the 3rd day of May 2021 as the date on which the provisions of section 142 of the said Social Security Code shall come into force,” the notification had said. Under section 142 of the Social Security Code, it has been established that the establishment of an identity for employees or unorganised workers or any other person, for himself or dependents, through Aadhaar is mandatory for availing services, seeking benefits, receiving payments, etc.