Arrest warrant issued against EPFO top boss as tribunal fumes over his “high-handedness” for not appearing despite multiple orders

EPFO top boss VP Joy, a Kerala cadre IAS officer, has vexed the Employee Provident Fund Appellate Tribunal (EPFAT), which has issued an arrest warrant against him.

The matter snowballed when the EPFAT was hearing an appeal filed by Dentsu Marcom Pvt Limited against the assessment order passed by a regional provident fund commissioner in Delhi.

The tribunal had asked Joy to be present in person before it on many occasions - March 1, 30 and then April 14.

However, Joy, instead, filed an appeal through his deputy stating that "judiciary (tribunal) must have respect for the executive and the legislature. Further, judges should realise that officials like chief secretary, secretary to government, commissioners, district magistrates, senior police officials etc are extremely busy persons who are working morning till night and if they are summoned by the court, then lot of public money and time may be unnecessarily wasted".

The EPFAT presiding officer Harish Gupta fumed over his remarks and stated, “He is showing his ignorance; about his own casual and lackadaisical approach, considering himself as privileged person who is over and above the entire legal system".

This is probably the first time when such as order has been passed but the tribunal defended that this move was necessary as "despite attachment of Joy's salary for not appearing before it, his presence seems to be an impossible job".

Meanwhile, Joy told TOI, "These are legal proceedings, which will be handled legally. This keeps on happening".

TOI reported that the tribunal order observed it is supposed to decide appeals filed by people/companies expeditiously, if possible within six months but appeals more than 10 years old were pending before it and whenever an appeal is heard ex-parte, then ex-parte orders are always challenged by either party before several high courts.

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