KARACHI: The Department Selection Board (DSB) meeting for the promotion of Income Tax Officers (ITOs) in BS-19 has been rescheduled for June 15, 2015 instead of June 08 announced earlier.

It may be noted that 45 ITOs were promoted in excess of their quota in November 2003, January 2004 and April 2004 in BS-17 in violation of quota of 25 percent reserved for promotee officers.

The same batch of ITOs did not qualify their length of service of 5 years, mandatory for promotion in BS-18 but promoted on 25-08-2008 which was out of turn promotion as declared illegal by Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Now, these ITOs are going to be promoted in BS-19 even they have not qualified their service of 12 years and their seniority is under subjudice before Peshawar High Court and Federal Services Tribunal (FST) Karachi.

However, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) in its submission before the |Peshawar High Court noted that for multiple reasons Central Board of Revenue (CBR) now renamed as Federal Board of Revenue, made appointments of assessing officers as well as promotions of Income Tax Officers (ITOs) in BS-16 as Assistant Commissioner Inland Revenue (ACIR) in BS-17 over and above 25 percent quota prescribed for promotion under the Rules.

Firstly, FBR decided in 1993 to expand Income Tax Administration and in order to meet shortage of Income Tax assessing officers, FBR sought services of officers of other Occupational Groups for posting as ACIRs (BS-17) under Section 10 of the Civil Servants, Act, 1973.

Secondly, in 1996, considering the fact that large number of vacant posts in BS-17 needed to be filled-in urgently, to achieve the assigned revenue targets and regular recruitment through FPSC was expected to take quite long time, FBR made promotions as ACIR (BS-17) on acting charge basis from feeding posts of ITOs (BS-16) now renamed as Inland Revenue Officer (IRO) in BS-16, to be regularized/adjusted to the extent of their promotion quota over a period of time without adversely affecting the process of recruitment against direct quota.

Thirdly, FBR, in compliance with various Courts’ directions, granted antedated promotions to the promotee ITOs/IROs in BS-17 in 2004 and BS-18 in 2009, which resulted in numerical increase of promotions in excess of prescribed quota.

An official said that the recent promotions as recommended by the Central Selection Board (CSB) had missed some of the very deserving officers.

Khawaja Umer Mehdi, a Grade-20 officer, a very reputed and competent officers was not recommended by CSB for promotion, which came a surprise for all.

An official said that everyone was sure that Mehdi would be promoted and the decision of CSB against him without even mentioning the reason or providing Mehdi the opportunity to be heard was quite questionable.