OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL FORUM, ANGUL

       PRESENT:- SRI  DURGA CHARAN MISHRA.                          

                                       PRESIDENT

                                                             A N D

                                          Smt.Sunanda Mallick &Sri K.K.Mohanty,

                                       MEMBER .

                                   Consumer Complaint No. 101 of 2014

                                                   Date  of  Filling : -12.02.2014.

                                                          Date  of  Order  :-  31 .08.2017.

Hrushikesh Behera,S/O.Bithala Behera,

Vill.Kulei,P.O.Gaham,P.S-Samal, Dist.Angul. . 

                                          _________________________Complainant.

                        Vrs.

 01.Regional Provident Fund Commissioner,

      Bhabisyanidhi Bhawan,Unit-IX,Janapath,

      Bhubaneswar,Dist.Khurda.

 02. Executive Engineer,Field Machinary Divison (Defunct)

       Rengali Dam Division,At/P.O.Rengali,P.S- Rengali

       Dam Site,Dist.Angul.

                                      _________________________    Opp. parties.

For the complainant         :-  Sri J.K.Hota & associates(Advs.).

For the opp.party No.1     :-  Sri C.R.Swain (Authorized Person ).

For the opp.party No.2     :-  Sri K.Behera   (Authorized Person ).

                                     : J U D G E M E N T   :

Sri D. C. Mishra, President.

            The complainant- Hrushikesh Behera has filed this case  with prayer to direct the opp.parties for settlement of his EPF amount as well as pension.

2.         The complainant’s case runs thus:-

            That, he  was serving  under opp.party No.2 and  he  took  retirement in the year 2002  and his EPF  account number was OR/2437/247. It is  alleged that  after retirement  the petitioner submitted his EPF withdrawal  form duly  filled through opp.party No.2 (employer) but till filing of the case  the amount  was not sanctioned by opp.party No.1. It is further  alleged that though about  more than 7 years has been elapsed  from the date of  superannuation but  his pension dues  have not been settled. So the  petitioner  has filed this case seeking  the reliefs as already  stated in para one of this  order above.

3.         Both the opp.parties have contested the case  by filing separate written version stating that pension papers  are not submitted by the petitioner and payment of EPF  amount  is  under active progress.

4.         In view of  the above  pleadings of the parties, the following issues  arise for consideration :-

ISSUES:- 

1. Whether  there is  consumer/service  provider relationship between the parties  or not and   whether  this forum is  competent to decide the matter ?
2. Whether  the petitioner is entitled  to get EPF and pension and  what direction can be  given  to the opp.parties in the present  circumstances of the case?

Issue No.(i):-  

            Admittedly  there is consumer and service provider relationship between the parties as because the petitioner was serving  under the opp.party No.2  and deducting EPF share to be  managed by opp.party No.1.This forum has  jurisdiction to settle the  disputes.

Issue No.(ii):-

            According to opp.party No.1 the  delay  was caused in sanction of EPF as because opp.party No.2  could not  provide the  correct information in time  reportedly  due  to  shortage of staffs.

            During  hearing of the  case, opp.party No.1  filed  the copy of  Journal  dt. 4.8.2017  of  his  office  which  reveals that Regd. Letter No. OR/PF/2437/247 dt. 4.8.2017 has been sent to the petitioner   regarding  sanction of EPF  and pension claims. Also  the   claim status of the  petitioner in the  computer screen  printing  has been filed  by opp.party No.1 which reveals that the EPF and  up to date pension has been credited to the SB A/C. No. 11641076366 of SBI,Samal Barrage Branch  of the  petitioner. After getting  the  aforesaid Regd. letter, about  sanction of EPF and pension, the  petitioner did not appear  in the  forum to dispute  it. As nobody  has disputed  these  documents  those are accepted  to  be  true and  genuine. So there is irresistible presumption that, in the  meantime, the opp.parties have already complied and  paid the  claims of the petitioner. Since the claim of the petitioner has been complied , no further direction  is  required  to  comply  the same.  

            Opp.party No.1 had paid fine of Rs500.00 (Rupees Five Hundred)only  to the petitioner  to  which  the opp.party No.1  had filed revision  petition No.68 of 2017  before Hon’ble State Commission, where the Hon’ble State Commission have set-aside the order imposing cost on opp.party No.1 vide order No. 68 of 2017 dated. 27.06.2017. Hence the order:-

: O R D E R :

            The  case  is disposed of  on contest . The opp.parties have already settled the claim of the  petitioner and the  claim amount has  already  been paid to  his S/B Account number  maintained  at SBI Samal Barrage Branch. So  any  further  direction to the opp.parties is not  required. The  petitioner is directed to  return Rs. 500.00 (Rupees Five Hundred)  only to the opp.party No.1 within 45 (forty-five) days of this order.

                                                                          Order delivered in the open forum

today the  31^st   August, 2017 with

hand   and seal of this Forum.

Typed to my dictation

and corrected by me                                                             

                                                                                              (Sri D. C. Mishra)    

                                                                                               President.       

  (Sri D. C. Mishra)                                                               

         President.

 (Sri K.K.Mohanty),                                                       (Smt.S.Mallick),

        Member.                                                                          Member.