CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL CHENNAI BENCH O.A. No.310/0001 of 2026 &

M.A. No.310/00085 of 2026 in O.A. No.310/0001 of 2026 DATED MONDAY, THE 23^rd DAY OF FEBRUARY TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX CORAM :

HON'BLE MS. VEENA KOTHAVALE, MEMBER (J)

HON'BLE MR. SISIR KUMAR RATHO, MEMBER(A)

A. Syed Mohideen, aged 49 years, S/o P. Asan Peer Mohamed, Government Quarters No. 2, Type-III, EPFO Staff Quarters, NGO 'B' Colony, Tirunelveli 627 007.

….......Respondent in MA/Applicant in OA (Advocate: M/s.V. Ganesan)

Vs.

1. Union of India, Represented by the Secretary Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, New Delhi 110 001;

2. The Central Provident Fund Commissioner, Head Office, EPFO New Delhi - 110 066;

….....Respondents/Respondents

3. The Regional Provident Fund Commissioner-I Regional Office, Tirunelveli 627 007 ...Applicant in MA /Respondent (Advocate: Mr. W.M. Abdul Majeed for R3)

O R A L O R D E R (Hon'ble Ms. Veena Kothavale, Member(J)

When the matter is taken up, counsel for the applicant absent and counsel for the respondent No.3 submitted that counsel for the applicant is absent on the last date of hearing also and insisted for vacating the stay granted in O.A. Therefore, OA and MA are taken up together.

2. Applicant has filed this O.A. under Section 19 of the Administrative Tribunal’s Act seeking to quash and set aside the impugned order dated 12.11.2025 issued by the 3^rd respondent rejecting applicant’s request to retain his Staff Quarter and directing him to vacate the Government Quarters allotted to him. Applicant also seeks a direction to the respondents to permit him to retain said quarters till completion of academic year.

3. As stated by applicant, he was allotted Government residential accommodation bearing Quarter No.2, Type-III, situated at EPFO Staff Quarters at Tirunelveli on 30.06.2016. He was transferred from RO- Tirunelveli to RO- Nagarcoil vide order dated 03.05.2024 on in-situ basis with instruction to report to the place of posting without availing joining time. Applicant submitted a representation on 03/05/2025 seeking retention of staff quarters. The extension was granted for one year with effect from 04/05/2025 on the condition of payment of normal licence fee for 2 months and double licence fee for 10 months, till 04/05/2025. Applicant was promoted to the post of post of EO/AO and was posted to RO-Madurai vide order dated 18.12.2024. The applicant joined duty at RO-Madurai on 05.05.2025 as Accounts Officer. Applicant registered for allotment of quarters at Madurai and submitted a representation dated 23.07.2025 seeking to retain staff quarters at th Tirunelveli till end of academic year 2025-2026 as his child is studying in 8 standard at Tirunelveli.

4. It is stated by the applicant that he could not get Government quarters allotted before commencement of academic year of his son, therefore, he was constrained to keep his family and children at Tirunelveli. Under such circumstances, he gave a representation dated 23.07.2025 seeking extension of retention of staff quarters at th Tirunelveli till end of academic year 2025-2026 as his son was studying in 8 standard at Tirunelveli, undertaking to pay prescribed licence fee as per rules. However, his request was rejected vide impugned order dated 12.11.2025 and he was directed to vacate the staff quarters on or before 30.11.2025. Applicant submitted a detailed representation dated 26.11.2025 with supporting documents stating that vacating quarters at this stage would seriously disrupt the education of his son and cause irreparable hardship and requested for extension of retention of the allotted quarters till end of academic year. Applicant has also filed his grievance through e- portal of EPFO website. As the impugned order is passed mechanically applying the transfer guidelines and it has failed to consider the well settled principles that children's education is a valid and human consideration while deciding request for retention of government accommodation,