New Delhi, Oct. 24 -- Employers have up to 31 October to file the Electronic Challan-cum-Return (ECR) and deposit statutory provident fund (PF) contributions for September 2026. This deadline was initially set to end on 15 October but was extended until 31 October 2026, following the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation's (EPFO) revision of the EPF wage ceiling from Rs.15,000 to Rs.25,000 per month, effective from 17 September 2026.

The primary objective behind these changes is to meaningfully align employers and eligible employees with the benefits of EPFO. Now, this change requires employers to carefully review payroll systems, employee-wise contribution calculations and membership eligibility in order to ensure meaningful compliance...