17Certain persons may opt to make reduced contributions or not to contribute

17 Certain persons may opt to make reduced contributions or not to contribute

17 Certain persons may opt to make reduced contributions or not to contribute

(1) In this section, prescribed date means, in relation to a person, the date on which that person is entitled to make an election under this section.

(2) An employee who, at the prescribed date, has attained the age of thirty years, may elect—

(a) to contribute for a lump sum benefit that is less than his ordinary minimum benefit, or

(b) not to become a contributor.

(3) A contributor, other than an employee, who, at the prescribed date, has attained the age of thirty years may elect—

(a) to contribute for a lump sum benefit which is less than his ordinary minimum benefit,

(b) where he was a contributor to the Account, not to make any contributions to the Fund, or

(c) where he was a contributor to the Railways Retirement Fund, a gratuity scheme officer who has made an election under section 12 or a Police Department appointee who has made such an election, not to make any contributions to the Fund except, in the case of a gratuity scheme officer or a Police Department appointee, contributions under subsection (2) of section 18.

(4) A contributor who after he becomes a contributor attains the age of thirty years, or who at the time he becomes a contributor has attained the age of thirty years, may elect—

(a) not to make any contributions to the Fund in respect of any increase in his annual wages received after he makes the election, or

(b) to contribute in respect of an increase in his annual wages received after he makes the election (that increase being an increase that brings his annual wages into a higher wage group) for a lump sum benefit that is less than the difference between his ordinary minimum benefit before he received that increase and his ordinary minimum benefit after he received that increase.

(5) An election under this section—

(a) shall be made—

(i) in the case of an election made by a person, other than a contributor under section 11 or a contributor referred to in subsection (4)—on or before the date on which that person becomes, or would, but for his making the election, become, a contributor,