Thu Apr 17 23:17:00 UTC 2025: ## Kerala High Court Upholds Exemption of Co-op Employees from EPF
**Kochi, Kerala – April 18, 2025** – The Kerala High Court has ruled in favor of the state government, upholding an order exempting employees of primary cooperative societies from the Employees Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act (EPF&MP Act). The court dismissed an appeal by employees of the Palode Cooperative Agricultural and Rural Development Bank Ltd who sought to remain under the EPF scheme.
A division bench, consisting of Justices Anil K. Narendran and Muralee Krishna S., affirmed that once the government grants an exemption under Section 17(1-C) of the EPF&MP Act, employees cannot demand to remain under the EPF scheme. Instead, they will be covered under the Kerala State Cooperative Employees’ Pension Board scheme. The decision follows a previous single judge ruling dismissing a similar plea.
First Piper 