Revision of Fee payable to panel advocates of the Central Board/EPFO - Regarding No. Legal Consultation-Part (1)Circular/E50586/2759 dated 08/07/2026

EMPLOYEES' PROVIDENT FUND ORGANISATION MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA HEAD OFFICE BHAVISHYA NIDHI BHAWAN, 14, BHIKAIJI CAMA PLACE, NEW DELHI 110066

No. Legal Consultation-Part (1)/Circular/E50586/2759 Date: 08.07.2026

OFFICE CIRCULAR

Subject: Revision of fee payable to panel advocates of the Central Board/EPFO – regarding.

Reference is invited to the Department of Legal Affairs (DoLA), Ministry of Law & Justice, OM No. J-12011/6/2025-Judicial/E.158060 dated 05.02.2026, whereby the revised fee structure for Government Counsels for all courts/tribunals has been notified.

2. The undersigned is directed to convey the approval of the Central Provident Fund Commissioner for revision of the fee structure payable to panel advocates engaged by the Central Board/EPFO, in accordance with the fee structure provided under the DoLA OM dated 05.02.2026. The revised rates are set out in four Tables, namely, Table A, Table B, Table C and Table D, as under:

A. Supreme Court

3. The fee structure applicable to panel advocates of the Central Board/EPFO engaged in connection with litigation before the Supreme Court shall be as under:

TABLE – A

4. All other terms and conditions applicable to panel advocates, as laid down in the pre-revised OMs bearing No. 21(04)/1999-Judl dated 24.09.1999, No. 21(05)/2011-Judl dated 01.10.2011 and No. 26(1)/2014/Judl dated 01.10.2015 issued by the Ministry of Law & Justice, shall continue to remain applicable.

B. High Courts, CGIT, CAT, NCDRC, NCLT, NCLAT and SCDRC

5. The fee structure applicable to panel advocates of the Central Board/EPFO engaged in connection with litigation before all High Courts, CGIT, CAT, NCDRC, NCLT, NCLAT and SCDRC shall be as under:

TABLE – B

6. All other terms and conditions applicable to panel advocates in various High Courts/CAT Benches, as laid down in the relevant OMs of the Department of Legal Affairs dated 24.09.1999, 14.07.2001, 31.01.2008, 01.10.2011 and 01.10.2015, shall continue to remain applicable.

C. District & Subordinate Courts and District Consumer Forums

7. The fee structure applicable to panel advocates of the Central Board/EPFO engaged in connection with litigation before District & Subordinate Courts and District Consumer Forums shall be as under:

TABLE – C

8. All other terms and conditions applicable to panel advocates, as laid down in Department of Legal Affairs OM No. 27(11)/1999-Judl dated 24.09.1999, read with OM No. 27(25)/2011-Judl dated 01.09.2011 and OM No. 26(1)/2014/Judl dated 01.10.2015, shall continue to remain applicable.

D. Arbitration Cases

9. The fee structure applicable to panel advocates of the Central Board/EPFO engaged in connection with arbitration cases shall be as under:

TABLE – D

10. All other terms and conditions applicable, as laid down in OM No. 30(3)/1999-Judl dated 24.09.1999, read with OM No. 25(11)/2005/Judl dated 31.01.2008 and OM No. 26(1)/2014/Judl dated 01.10.2015, shall continue to remain applicable.

11. GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

I. The revised fee structure is broadly based on DoLA OM No. J-12011/6/2025-Judicial/E.158060 dated 05.02.2026, read with the OMs dated 24.09.1999, 14.05.2001, 01.10.2011 and 01.10.2015, and the clarifications issued from time to time by the Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law & Justice, Government of India.

II. Rates of fee prescribed under Table B shall also be applicable for items of legal work done by panel advocates in connection with litigation before any other Tribunal or Adjudicatory Forum not specifically covered elsewhere in this circular.

III. Fee other than that prescribed in this circular shall not be allowed unless specifically authorised by the Central Provident Fund Commissioner in view of the special complexity of the case involving high financial implication and/or important policy matter.

IV. Payment to CCSCs/counsel appearing on behalf of the Union of India shall not ordinarily be borne by EPFO unless specifically directed by the Central Government.

V. The fee for written opinion/advice in Table B (Item 13) shall also be applicable for legal opinion/advice pertaining to all other courts/tribunals and for opinion/advice on any other matter, as well as for vetting of departmental documents such as MoUs, agreements and legal notices etc.

VI. A claim for fee for attending court hearing shall be entertained only if the appearance of the panel advocate engaged, whether as conducting counsel or arguing counsel, is recorded in the Daily Order Sheet relating to that hearing. In any case where an advocate claims to have participated in a hearing but his/her name does not find mention in the related Daily Order Sheet, the burden of proving such participation shall lie on the panel advocate concerned.

VII. Claim for drafting/filing/settling of pleadings/petition/OA/counter affidavit/rejoinder/caveat/miscellaneous application etc. shall be entertained only when a copy of the filed document is enclosed with the bill.

VIII. Claim for typing and photocopying charges shall be restricted to the number of pages in the petition/counter affidavit/rejoinder/miscellaneous application etc.

IX. A bill in respect of an individual legal case may be raised by a panel advocate through LIMBS for each item of work, as listed in the Tables above, as soon as it becomes due, without waiting for the legal case to conclude. The EPFO office concerned shall process such bills promptly and payment shall be released within one month of receipt of the bill complete in all respects.

X. The expression “Central Board” or “EPFO” includes its offices and officers and shall be construed according to the context.

XI. “Identical cases” shall have the meaning assigned in the Ministry of Law & Justice OM dated 24.09.1999, namely: “Two or more cases where substantially identical questions of law or facts are involved and where the main difference is in the names, addresses of the parties concerned, amount of money involved, etc., where common or identical judgments are delivered irrespective of the fact whether all the cases are heard together or not.”

XII. Effective Hearing (a) A hearing in which either one or both parties are heard by the Court shall be treated as an effective hearing. However, if the case is merely mentioned and adjourned, or only directions are issued, or only judgment is delivered, it shall be treated as a non-effective hearing. (b) in a civil case, a date on which plaint/petition/written statement is filed, issues are framed, witnesses are examined by affidavit or otherwise, cross-examination takes place, an important miscellaneous application is argued, or final arguments take place, shall be treated as an effective hearing. (c) in a criminal case, a date on which charge or notice, as the case may be, is framed against the accused, or testimony of witnesses including cross-examination is recorded, or statement of the accused under section 281 or 313 Cr. P.C (now section 316 or 351 of BNSS, 2023) is recorded, or defence witnesses are examined, or arguments on any important miscellaneous application are heard, shall be treated as an effective hearing. (d) A panel advocate to whom a case has been assigned shall attend all hearings in that case, whether effective or non-effective. (e) Classification of a hearing as effective or non-effective shall be determined by the concerned sanctioning officer on examination of the judicial order/Daily Order Sheet. No claim shall be admitted merely on the basis of the description furnished in the bill.

XIII. The competent authority for approval of legal fee bills shall be as per the Schedule of Financial and Administrative Powers issued by EPFO, as amended from time to time. It has also been clarified by Head Office Finance vide note dated 01.09.2016 that the words “in each case” refer to recurring expenditure. Accordingly, the power delegated under Item No. 22 may be utilised by field offices for sanction of bill amounts.

XIV. All professional fee bills, except bills unrelated to LIMBS court cases, shall be raised by panel advocates through LIMBS only, along with the requisite supporting documents. No bill shall be processed unless the relevant case status and hearing details have first been updated in LIMBS.

XV. Engagement of advocates from outside the panel shall be regulated in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Legal Framework Document, as amended from time to time.

XVI. Distribution of cases amongst panel advocates shall be fair and equitable and shall be regulated in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Legal Framework Document.

XVII. Any issue on which this circular is silent, or in which any ambiguity remains, shall be examined by the ACC (Zone) concerned. If the ACC (Zone) considers that clarification is required, the matter may be referred to Head Office clearly specifying the point on which clarification is sought.

XVIII. All payments made to panel advocates shall be subjected to internal audit at least once in each financial year.

12. The revised rates of fee shall be applicable from the date of issue of this circular.

(This issues with the approval of the Central Provident Fund Commissioner.)

(Manish Kumar Thakur) Regional PF Commissioner- I (Legal)

To

1. All Addl. CPFC-HQ (Head Office)
2. All Addl. CPFC (Zones)/Director (PDUNASS)
3. All ROs/DOs
4. All Officers-in-charge of ZTIs and Sub-ZTI

Copy to:

1. FA&CAO
2. CVO
3. Deputy Director (OL), Head Office for issue of Hindi version