100% Damages Not Mandatory Under Section 14-B Of EPF Act: Kerala High Court

The Central Board of Trustees of the Employees Provident Fund approached the Kerala High Court vide WP(C) No. 35163 of 2019, challenging the order of the Tribunal for reduction of penalty from 100% to 50% under Section 14-B of the Employees Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952. The Hon’ble Kerala High Court upheld the impugned order stating that the said Section does not mandatorily prescribe that 100% amount of damages have to be imposed as penalty and there is no illegality in reduction of amount of damages from 100% to 50%.