Employee Death and PF Exit Date: How to Handle Leave and Service Status?

Please guide me about the exit date in the case of an employee's death. One of my employees passed away on 18th September. However, he was on leave for the last month. What date of exit should I mention, and which option should I choose on the PF site: death in service or death away from service?

Action of the person dies with the person

Therefore, whether the deceased employee was on authorized leave or otherwise, the contract of employment would be alive until his death. The date of death is the actual date of termination of the contract of his employment if things like resignation or dismissal/discharge have not happened in the middle. Hence, the date of the employee's death is the date of his exit from service.

Thank you for the usual clarification. However, I have a small suggestion. In one of the lines of your reply, it reads "Date of death is the actual date of termination of the contract...". May I suggest replacing the word "termination" with "cessation"?

Thank you,
Dinesh Divekar