Service - Seniority - Income Tax Inspectors - Direct Recruits vs Promotees - Direct Recruits win in SC
THE dispute on seniority between direct recruit and promotee inspectors in the CBDT and CBEC has been going on for ages at all possible forums. The appointment of Inspectors is by promotion from within the Department and by Direct Recruitment by Staff Selection Commission. The posts are allotted on a roster system and every vacancy is designated as P for promotees or D for Direct Recruits. The promotees are available in the Department and are appointed in the vacancies for a particular year. But the selection of Direct Recruits is a long process and takes at least two years. When a direct recruit inspector is appointed say in the year 1988, he may become senior to an Inspector who was promoted in 1986. Obviously, the promotees don't like this. "How can somebody who was in college when I was appointed as Inspector be senior to me", is their lament. This has its cascading effect while making promotions to the next grade of Superintendent/ITO.
Litigation has been going on for more than twenty years.
In case of Inspectors of Income Tax, the Supreme Court has given a detailed verdict on 27.11.2012. And this would perhaps apply to Inspectors in Central Excise too.