PF Inspection Query

We are a small company with 35 employees. We started coverage of our employees under PF as soon as our payrolls became 20 employees 3 years ago. We have our first PF inspection and the inspector wants to see the financial records/ salary sheets of all the years since inception - 18 yrs ago. Is this required under PF laws? We don;t have such old records so how will we show them?
Please advise

Dear Ask,

Has the PF inspector given in writing report to your company?

it is not necessary to show him 18 years back record & as per the law we have to preserve only 3 years back record.

If he is not agreeing with this you can go to the PF Commissioner & tell him about the issue.

Thanx

Bala Panmand

Dear AKS,
Refer to your query for PF Inspection, the inspector can check only 5 years records before the starting of your P.F., yes nobody can keep the 18 year old records.
1. Keep all three years Salary Sheets, P.F.Monthly Return form 5 & 10, Form 12 A, and yearly return 3a alongwith 6a, and respective Balance sheet to compare your data with the records.
SHISH UNIYAL

AS PER THE INCOME TAX ACT, THE RELEVANT RECORDS TO SUPPORT THE RETURNS OF INCOME LIKE CASH BOOK. LEDGER, INCOME AND EXPENDITURE STATEMENT ARE EXPECTED TO BE RETAINED FOR 9 UEARS FROM THE DATE OF SUCH FILING. IN CASE THE I.T. DEPARTMENT DOES NOT ASK FOR RECORDS PRIOR TO 9 YEARS, IT IS UNJUST FOR A PF INSPECTOR TO ASK FOR THE RECORDS PRIOR TO THAT

YOU NEED TO PRODUCE YOUR PF RECORDS FORM 5/10 12-a, CHALLAN MONTHLY AND 3-A 6-A, FORM2/11 ETC. WITH THE BOOKS OF Accounts for maximum 9 years. may be the inspector is trying to prepone the coverage,
In case you are of firm contention that the employee strength ( in case of regular / casual / contractor employees in a clubbed fashion) does not exceed 19 at any time prior to your application, you need not worry at all

in case of any harassments, directly write to the central provident fund commissioner marking a cc to the regional provident fund commissioner.

such acts are mostly done by inspectors with an expectation of illegal gratitude

we are here to comply to the provisions ( in genuine cases only)

hope for the best