A social media post alleging a delay in the processing of an EPF withdrawal claim has sparked widespread discussion about the functioning of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), after a user claimed the delay cost him the life of a family member who urgently needed financial assistance.
Sarthak Singhal, in a series of posts on X, said his Form 31 claim was delayed by 25 days and alleged that he was unable to access funds needed for a family emergency.
“I am giving up on our government. Labour Ministry thank you for all your hard work. EPFO you won, I lost. My Form 31 was delayed by 25 days and I have lost my family member who needed that money,” he wrote.
I am giving up on our government. @narendramodi @LabourMinistry thank you for
all you hard work. @officialepfo you won I lost . My form 31 was delayed by 25 days and I have lost my family member who needed that money. Thank you for all the hard work epfo.
— Sarthak Singhal (@justaVictimepfo) July 30, 2026
In subsequent posts, Singhal demanded action against officials at the EPFO’s Malleswaram office in Bengaluru and sought legal assistance to challenge the organisation.
“Is there any lawyer who would like to file a PIL and help me fight against these EPFO people? 26 days delayed and it cost me everything,” he wrote.
The posts quickly gained traction online, with several users sharing concerns about delays in accessing provident fund savings.
One X user, Arjun, said the incident made him reconsider keeping large amounts of money in his EPF account.
“These horror stories of EPFO make me wonder if I should pull out a majority of my money right away. I am starting to feel it’s quite risky to let this corpus build and compound only to find that it’s extremely difficult to get back your own money,” he wrote.
These horror stories of EPFO makes me wonder if I should pull out a majority of my money right away.
My company deposits 12% of basic to EPFO and there is a decent chunk of money that has built up over the years. I am starting to feel it’s quite risky to let this corpus build… https://t.co/yd1xZdgMKM
— Arjun | Think In Points (@think_in_points) July 31, 2026
Entrepreneur Ravi Handa also reacted to the post, saying, “The horror stories about EPFO are never ending. And nearly every Indian has exposure to it.”
The horror stories about EPFO are never ending.
And nearly every Indian has exposure in it. https://t.co/rz38G6k0vz
— Ravi Handa (@ravihanda) July 31, 2026
What Is Form 31?
Form 31, commonly known as the EPF Advance Form, allows active Employees’ Provident Fund members to make a partial withdrawal or take a non-refundable advance from their EPF account while continuing to remain employed.
Unlike Form 19, which is used for final settlement after leaving a job, or Form 10C, which relates to pension withdrawal, Form 31 enables members to access a portion of their provident fund savings for specific purposes without closing their EPF account.
EPFO permits withdrawals under Form 31 only for approved reasons and subject to prescribed eligibility conditions.
These include medical treatment for self or family members, marriage expenses, children’s education, purchase or construction of a house, repayment of home loans, house renovation and periods of unemployment.
The amount that can be withdrawn varies depending on the purpose and the member’s years of service. For medical emergencies, members can withdraw the lower of six months’ basic salary plus dearness allowance or their total employee contribution. For home purchase or construction, eligible members may withdraw up to 90 per cent of their total PF balance.
The viral posts have once again brought attention to concerns raised by some EPF subscribers regarding claim processing timelines and access to retirement savings during emergencies.
Also Read | EPFO 3.0 FAQs: When Will ATM, UPI PF Withdrawals Start And How Much Can You Withdraw?
EPFO 3.0
To address such concerns, the EPFO will soon enable EPF members to receive eligible claim settlements directly into their bank accounts through a BHIM-linked UPI interface. When launched, employees can also withdraw PF money through UPI or ATMs.
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