Section 5A of EPF Act 1952 - Central Board
Section 5A of the Employees' Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 dealt with the constitution, composition, administration, accounts and reporting duties of the Central Board of Trustees.
Meaning and purpose of Section 5A
The Central Board was the statutory Board of Trustees responsible for administering the provident fund and performing functions assigned under the provident fund, pension and insurance schemes. The provision also prescribed representation of the Central Government, State Governments, employers and employees, together with the Central Provident Fund Commissioner as an ex officio member.
| Subject | Section 5A position |
|---|---|
| Constitution | Central Government could constitute the Central Board by notification in the Official Gazette. |
| Representation | Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Central Provident Fund Commissioner, Central and State Government representatives, employer representatives and employee representatives. |
| Administration | The Board administered the Fund subject to the Act and the Scheme. |
| Accounts and audit | Proper accounts were required and annual audit was entrusted to the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India. |
| Annual reporting | The Board had to submit an annual report, with audited accounts and related material ultimately laid before Parliament. |
Text of Section 5A - Central Board
(1) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, constitute, with effect from such date as may be specified therein, a Board of Trustees for the territories to which this Act extends (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the Central Board) consisting of the following persons as members, namely:-
(a) a Chairman and a Vice-Chairman to be appointed by the Central Government;
(aa) the Central Provident Fund Commissioner, ex officio;
(b) not more than five persons appointed by the Central Government from amongst its officials;
(c) not more than fifteen persons representing Governments of such States as the Central Government may specify in this behalf, appointed by the Central Government;
(d) ten persons representing employers of the establishments to which the Scheme applies, appointed by the Central Government after consultation with such organisations of employers as may be recognised by the Central Government in this behalf; and
(e) ten persons representing employees in the establishments to which the Scheme applies, appointed by the Central Government after consultation with such organisations of employees as may be recognised by the Central Government in this behalf.
(2) The terms and conditions subject to which a member of the Central Board may be appointed and the time, place and procedure of the meetings of the Central Board shall be such as may be provided for in the Scheme.
(3) The Central Board shall, subject to the provisions of section 6 and section 6C, administer the Fund vested in it in such manner as may be specified in the Scheme.
(4) The Central Board shall perform such other functions as it may be required to perform by or under any provisions of the Scheme, the Pension Scheme and the Insurance Scheme.
(5) The Central Board shall maintain proper accounts of its income and expenditure in such form and in such manner as the Central Government may, after consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India, specify in the Scheme.
(6) The accounts of the Central Board shall be audited annually by the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India and any expenditure incurred by him in connection with such audit shall be payable by the Central Board to the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India.
(7) The Comptroller and Auditor-General of India and any person appointed by him in connection with the audit of the accounts of the Central Board shall have the same rights and privileges and authority in connection with such audit as the Comptroller and Auditor-General has in connection with the audit of Government accounts and, in particular, shall have the right to demand the production of books, accounts, connected vouchers, documents and papers and inspect any of the offices of the Central Board.
(8) The accounts of the Central Board as certified by the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India or any other person appointed by him in this behalf together with the audit report thereon shall be forwarded to the Central Board which shall forward the same to the Central Government along with its comments on the report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General.
(9) It shall be the duty of the Central Board to submit also to the Central Government an annual report of its work and activities and the Central Government shall cause a copy of the annual report, the audited accounts together with the report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India and the comments of the Central Board thereon to be laid before each House of Parliament.
Current corresponding law under the Code on Social Security, 2020
For current law, Section 4 of the Code on Social Security, 2020 provides for constitution of the Central Board. The Code defines the "Central Board" as the Board of Trustees of the Employees' Provident Fund constituted under Section 4. The provision continues the tripartite structure by including Government, employer and employee representation and the Central Provident Fund Commissioner as an ex officio member.
Section 153 of the Code contains transitional provisions concerning the Central Board and other organisations constituted under the earlier enactments. The current provident fund scheme is the Employees' Provident Funds Scheme, 2026, notified under Section 15(1)(a) of the Code.
Official legal resources
- India Code - Code on Social Security, 2020
- Ministry of Labour and Employment - Code on Social Security, 2020
- Employees' Provident Fund Organisation
Legal status and subordinate legislation can change through Gazette notifications. For a live compliance issue, verify the latest Gazette notification, Code, Scheme and EPFO circular applicable on the relevant date.
Last reviewed: 25 September 2026