New Delhi, Oct 13 (NationPress) The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has officially announced an extension of the deadline for filing the newly revamped Electronic Challan-cum-Return (ECR) system to October 22. This new filing requirement applies starting from the wage month of September 2025.

The extension comes as a response to numerous employers who are still acclimating to the new features of the revised ECR and are experiencing challenges in submitting their returns, as stated in the announcement.

The revamped ECR system is designed to simplify the return filing process for employers through the EPFO's employer portal.

To ease this transition, the EPFO has launched various awareness initiatives for employers and industry stakeholders nationwide.

At a central level, the EPFO organized discussions with key industry bodies such as the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), and the Employer Federation of India (EFI) to inform them about the new features and procedural enhancements of the revamped ECR system. These meetings highlighted the benefits of the new return filing process, which includes improved data accuracy, sequential validation of returns, and enhanced compliance facilitation.

Continuing this outreach, the zonal and regional EPFO offices are conducting interactive sessions and workshops with employers and establishment representatives. These initiatives are aimed at providing hands-on support to ensure timely and error-free filing of returns under the new system.

Additionally, the Ministry of Labour and Employment has introduced the 'Employees' Enrolment Campaign, 2025' (EEC 2025), a significant initiative to expand the coverage of organized social security through the EPFO.

This campaign will run from November 1, 2025 to April 30, 2026, as part of the Ministry's ongoing efforts following a successful enrollment campaign in 2017 that targeted eligible employees who had been left out from 2009 to 2016.

The EEC 2025 aims to motivate both existing and new employers under the Employees' Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 to voluntarily declare and enroll eligible employees. Employers can register all existing employees who joined their establishments between July 1, 2017 and October 31, 2025 and who were not previously enrolled in the EPF scheme for any reason, as per the official announcement.