BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 17.10.2024 CORAM:

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE B.PUGALENDHI WP(MD)No.4868 of 2022 and WMP(MD)No.4023 of 2022 and 2970 & 2972 of 2024 M/s.Shri Govindaraja Mills (P) Limited, S.No.60,63,64, Kuranaikulam, Regd Office 258, Thiruchuli Road, Aruppukottai – 626 101, Virudhunagar District, represented by its Director ...Petitioner Vs Regional Provident Fund Commissioner, Employees Provident Fund Organisation, Regional Office, Lady Doak College Road, Chokkikulam, Madurai – 625 002. ...Respondents PRAYER: Writ Petitions filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for issuance of a writ of certiorari to call for the records relating to the impugned order dated 24.11.2021 passed by the Presiding Officer, Central Government Industrial Tribunal cum Labour Court, Chennai in EPFA.No. 277 of 2019 and quash the same as illegal insofar as it relates to the condition imposing on the petitioner herein to deposit a sum of Rs.12 lakh is concerned.

For Petitioner : Mr.M.E.Ilango For Respondents : Mr.Murali Shankar, Standing Counsel for EPFO

ORDER

This writ petition is filed as against the interim order dated

24.11.2021 passed by the Central Government Industrial Tribunal cum Labour Court, Chennai / Appellate Tribunal under the Employees Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provident Funds Act [herein after shall be referred to as 'the Act'] in EPFA No.277 of 2019.

2.The petitioner a private limited company had failed to pay the contribution towards the Employees Provident Fund, for which the respondent has initiated proceedings under Section 14-B as well as 7-Q of the Act and imposed damages by an order dated 08.11.2018. Challenging the damages, the petitioner filed an appeal before the appellate Tribunal and also moved an application for stay. The appellate Tribunal granted interim stay, however with a condition directing the petitioner to deposit a sum of Rs.12,00,000/- before the respondent and the said conditional order is challenged in this writ petition.

3.The learned Counsel for the petitioner submits that this appeal is filed under Section 7-I of the Act as against the damages levied under Section 14-B of the Act. Section 7-O of the Act mandates pre-deposit for entertaining an appeal filed against the determination made under Section 7-A of the Act. No such pre-deposit is contemplated for the appeals filed against the damages levied under Section 14-B of the Act. While so the appellate Tribunal has passed this conditional order to deposit a portion of the damages amount, which would amount to conditional order for pre-deposit.

4.The learned Counsel for the petitioner has relied on the judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in Shiv Herbal Research Laboratory Vs the Assistant P.F. Commissioner (Civil Appeal No.3001 of 2010, dated 05.04.2010). The learned Counsel has also relied on the orders passed by this Court in Sri Naga Nanthana Mils Ltd Vs The Presiding Officer, EPF Appellate Tribunal, reported in (2013) 5 LLN 667 and in M/s.Madhuranthagam Agricultural Producers Co-Operative Marketing Society Ltd Vs Regional Provident Fund commissioner, Chennai [WP.No.22860 of 2023 dated 03.08.2023], wherein, this Court by referring to the orders of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in Shiv Herbal Research Laboratory's case, has passed orders, setting aside similar conditional order passed by the appellate authority that the appellate authority cannot insist for pre-deposit for entertaining the appeal.

5.The learned Counsel for the respondent submits that the order passed by the appellate Tribunal is not an order for pre-deposit to entertain the appeal as projected by the petitioner and it is only a conditional order for grant of stay. The petitioner has moved an application for grant of stay for the operation of the orders passed under Section 14-B, otherwise the authority would recover the same. Mere pendency of appeal would not prohibit the competent authority to recover the damages. Therefore the petitioner along