EPFO allows withdrawals from pension account without Aadhaar

New Delhi: Retirement fund body EPFO has allowed full and final withdrawal of funds by the subscribers from their pension account without providing Aadhaar number.

"All those members filing claims for withdrawal of funds from their pension account would not be required to submit Aadhaar as mandated in an earlier order of the EPFO," a senior official said.

The members with less than 10 years of service can submit a full and final settlement claim through Form 10C to withdraw the amount accumulated in their pension account.

However, the official said that the members submitting claims for fixing their pensions using Form 10D would be required to submit Aadhaar number or enrolment slips.

Explaining about the reason for giving this breather to the members, the official said, "The requirement of submitting Aadhaar number under Form 10C claims led to issues in settlement of withdrawal cases. Thus, it is decided that obtaining Aadhaar should be mandatory for the time being only for pension (fixation under 10D Form) and not in withdrawal cases (under Form 10C)."

Earlier in January, the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has made it mandatory for pensioners as well as subscribers to submit Aadhaar numbers for continuing the benefits under its various social security schemes.

Later in January, the body had also made it mandatory for members to furnish Aadhaar number while submitting claims for settlement of their pension accounts under Employees' Pension Scheme 1995.

Earlier this month, the EPFO had extended the deadline for submitting the Aadhaar number by its members as well as pensioners till March 31, 2017.