15 MAY 2020 5:14PM

Due to prolonged lockdown announced by the Govt. to control the spread of COVID-19 and other disruptions due to pandemic, establishments covered under EPF & MP Act, 1952 are distressed and unable to function normally and pay the statutory contributions in time.

Considering the difficulty faced by the establishments in timely deposit of contributions or administrative charges due for any period during lockdown, the EPFO has decided that such delays due to operational or economic reasons shall not be treated as default and penal damages should not be levied for such delay.

Circular dated 15.05.2020 has been issued to Field Offices of EPFO containing instructions to the effect that no proceeding shall be initiated for levy of penal damages in such cases which is available under TAB “COVID-19” on home page of EPFO website.

Also check: DA to be released immediately according to Delhi High Court judgment. Court case on DA, and the petitioner won

The aforesaid step shall ease the compliance norms for 6.5 lakhs EPF covered establishments and save them from liability on account of penal damages.

PIB

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Regulation of pay on imposition of a penalty under CCS (CCA) Rules, 1965

No: 1 1 01211512016-Estt A-III
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
Department of Personnel & Training
Establishment A-III Desk

North Block, New Delhi – 110001
Dated June 18,2019

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Regulation of pay on imposition of a penalty under CCS (CCA) Rules, 1965.

The Undersigned is directed to say that the following penalties prescribed in the Rule 11 of CCS (CCA) Rules, 1965, have a bearing on the pay of the officer:

11. Penalties

Minor Penalties –

(iii) (a) reduction to a lower stage in the time-scale of pay by one stage for a
period not exceeding three years, without cumulative effect and not adversely affecting his pension.

(iv) withholding of increments of pay;

Major Penalties –

(v) save as provided for in clause (iii) (a), reduction to a lower stage in the
time-scale of pay for a specified period, with further directions as to whether or not the Government servant will earn increments of pay during the period of such reduction and whether on the expiry of such period, the reduction will or will not have the effect of postponing the future increments of his pay

(vi) reduction to lower time-scale of pay, grade, post or service for a period to be specified in the order of penalty, which shall be a bar to the promotion of the Government servant during such specified period to the time-scale of pay, grade, post or service from which he was reduced, with direction as to whether or not, on promotion on the expiry of the said specified period –

(a) the period of reduction to time-scale of pay, grade, post or service shall operate to postpone future increments of his pay, and if so, to what extent; and
(b) the Government servant shall regain his original seniority in the higher time scale of pay , grade, post or service;

2. Vide Central Civil Services (Revised Pay) Rules,2016 notified vide notification No. GSR 721(E) dated 25.07.2016, the present system of Pay Bands and Grade Pays have been dispensed with and a new system of pay matrix as specified under Part A of Schedule of Central Civil Service (Revised Pay) Rules, 2016 have been introduced. The status of the employee so far determined by Grade pay, will now be determined by Level in the Pay Matrix. Further, as per Rule 10 (1) of the CCS (Revised Pay) Rules, 2016, there are two dates for grant of increment namely, 1st January and 1st July of every year, instead of the existing date of 1st July.

3. As per clause 3 of the Central Civil Services (Revised Pay) Rules, 2016 ‘Level’ is defined as under:

‘Level’ in the Pay Matrix shall mean the Level corresponding to the existing Pay Band and Grade pay or Scale specified in Part A of the Schedule.”

4. In the light of implementation of the Revised (Pay) Rules, 2016, the regulation of pay on imposition of these penalties, is discussed in the subsequent paras:

A. Reduction to a lower stage of pay by one stage {Rule 11( iii a)}

On imposition of a penalty under this Rule, the pay would be fixed at the
next upper vertical cell in the same level in the pay matrix. In other words, in case of reduction by one stage, the revised pay would be the pay drawn in the same level at the stage before the last increment.

Note: The above mentioned penalty cannot be imposed on a Government
Servant drawing pay at the minimum of the Level.

B. Withholding of increment {Rule 11(iv)}
As already noted in para 2 above, increment is granted either on 1st
January or 1st July of every year, as per the eligibility. Therefore, on imposition of penalty of withholding of increment, the next increment(s) due after the date of imposition of the penalty would be withheld. In case where penalty of withholding of multiple increments is imposed, increments due on 1st January or 1st July, as the case may be, in the subsequent years would similarly be withheld. The increment would be restored at the end of the period for which the penalty is imposed. The increments will be given on notional basis without arrears and without affecting date of next increment on restoration of increment.

This also applies to cases where the penalty is imposed for part of a year.
For instance, if the penalty of withholding of one increment for six months is imposed on a Government servant in October 2017, then withholding of
increment will be on following manner:

When the date of increment is 1st January ?

The increment falling due on 1.01.2018 will be withheld for a period of next six months, that is, till 30.06.2018. The increment would be released on 1.07.2018 without arrear.

When the date of increment is on 1st July ?

The increment falling due on 1 07.2018 will be withheld for a period of next six months, that is, till 31.12.2018. The increment would be released on 01.01 .2018 without arrears.

C. Reduction to a lower stage in the time-scale of pay for a specified period [Rule 11( v)]

The process of imposition of penalty of reduction by one stage under
Rule 11(iii a) explained above shall be repeated for every additional stage of reduction to the lower vertical cell in the same level of pay in the Pay Matrix.

Note 1: It is not permissible to impose a penalty under this rule if the pay after imposition of the penalty would fall below the first cell of the same Level.

Note 2: Disciplinary Authority may weigh all factors before deciding upon the quantum of penalty i.e. the number of stage by which the pay is to be reduced.

D. Reduction to lower time-scale of pay under Rule 11(vi)

In the case of imposition of penalty of reduction to lower time-scale of
pay, the pay of the Government servant would be reduced to the stage of pay he/she would have drawn had he/she continued in the lower post for the period of penalty. The mode of fixation of pay in this case is similar to reversing the mode of fixation of pay on promotion.

However, Disciplinary Authority has the power, in terms of FR 2g, to indicate the pay which the Government servant on whom a penalty of reduction in rank has been imposed, would draw.

It may also be noted that a Government servant cannot be reduced in rank to a post not held earlier by him in the cadre.

For example.

• A direct recruit Assistant Section Officer cannot be reduced to the lower rank like SSA/JSA.
• A Government servant holding any post like LDC/ Tax Assistant etc. who qualifies as Assistant Section Officer as a Direct Recruit and is later promoted as section officer cannot be reduced to the rank, which was earlier held by him before ASo (DR) but only to that of an Assistant Section Officer.

5. Some illustrations on pay fixation on the above cases are annexed

6. In so far as the personnel serving in Indian Audit and Accounts Department are concerned, these instructions are being issued after consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.

7. Hindi version will follow

(Satish Kumar)
Under Secretary to the Govt. of India

Annexure-l

ILLUSTRATIONS

Reduction to lower stage in the time-scale of Pay

Example

Example: 2

** In the above illustration, a penalty of reduction by more than two stages
would fall below the first cell of the same Level, such a penalty therefore,
would not be implementable. Therefore, while imposing the penalty of
reduction to a lower stage in time-scale of pay under Rule 11 (v) of the CCS (CCA) Rules, 1965, Disciplinary Authority may weigh all factors before
deciding upon the quantum of penalty, i.e. the number of stages by which the pay is to be reduced.

Source: DoPT

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Pre-Payment Penality on Home Loans
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its monetary policy, during 2012-13 has announced not to permit banks to levy foreclosure charges/pre-payment penalties on home loan on a floating interest rate basis.
Further, National Housing Bank (NHB) which regulates the Housing Finance Companies (HFCs) have advised them not to levy pre-payment charges on the borrowers where the housing loan is on floating interest rate basis. Further, NHB has also advised the HFCs not to levy any pre-closure charges even where the housing loan is on fixed interest rate basis and the loan is pre-closed by the borrowers out of his own sources.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Finance, Shri Namo Narain Meena in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

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