Constitutional validity of para 83 of the EPF Scheme and para...

Constitutional validity of para 83 of the EPF Scheme and para 43A of the Pension Scheme - international workers - Discrimination - Grievance of the petitioners is that, under para 83 of the EPF Scheme, “international workers” are covered under the Act and Scheme, irrespective of their salary drawn by them. - The High Court observed that provisions treated international workers differently from domestic workers without a sufficient justification, thus violating the equality clause of the Constitution. - The classification of workers under these paras did not have a rational relation to the objectives of the EPF & MP Act, which aims to provide social security to workers in lower income brackets, not to impose burdens on high-earning international workers. - Consequently, the High Court held the provisions as unconstitutional. They were struck down as they were found to be discriminatory, arbitrary, and ultra vires (beyond the powers of the Act)