JUDGMENT :

(Anil K. Narendran, J.) :

The petitioners, who are petitioners 124, 129, 48, 106, 21, 160, 52, 95 and 67 respectively in W.P.(C)No.11629 of 2015, have filed this contempt case, invoking the provisions under Section 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, alleging wilful disobedience of the directions contained in Annexure A-I judgment dated 12.10.2018 of a Division Bench of this Court in Sasikumar P. and others v. Union of India and others [ILR 2019 (1) Ker. 614], whereby W.P.(C)No.13120 of 2015 and connected matters, including W.P.(C)No.11629 of 2015, were disposed of by setting aside the Employees’ Pension (Amendment) Scheme, 2014 brought into force by notification No.G.S.R.609 (E) dated 22.08.2014 and also all consequential orders and proceedings issued by the Employees Provident Fund Organisation on the basis of the aforesaid amendment.

2. On 23.09.2022, when this contempt case came up for admission, the learned Standing Counsel for the Employees Provident Fund Organisation took notice for the respondent. The personal appearance of the respondent was dispensed with, by the order dated 23.09.2022.

3. On 14.03.2023, the respondent filed an affidavit dated 10.03.2023, po