On Tuesday, June 18, the government compulsorily retired fifteen “very senior officers” of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) with immediate effect. According to sources in the finance ministry, the retired personnel include one Principal Commissioner, four Commissioners, three Additional Commissioners, two Deputy Commissioners, four Assistant Commissioners, and one Joint Commissioner.
The decision has come a few days after the government compulsorily retired 12 senior officials from the Income Tax Department.
In a memorandum dated March 21, 2014, the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions instructed the various government departments to bring the FR 56 (j) into effect and review all government servants under the rule’s ambit.
Since coming to power in May 2019, the government has dismissed 27 officials from the Income Tax Department, under FR 56 (j), before their scheduled retirement on the grounds of non-performance or lack of integrity. It also demoted four Joint Commissioner ranked IT Officers on grounds of pending cases against them.
Government of India compulsorily retires 15 Senior Officers of the Indian Revenue Service (C &CE) with immediate effect; For full details, please log on to : https://t.co/XAJmoILPIx@PIB_India@MIB_India
— Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) June 18, 2019
The Fundamental Rule 56 (j) states, “Notwithstanding anything contained in this rule, the appropriate authority shall be, if it is of the opinion that it is in the public interest so to do, have the absolute right to retire any Government servant by giving him notice of not less than three months pay and allowance in lieu of such notice.”
It explicitly states, “Government employees whose integrity is doubtful, will be retired.”
All these 15 Officers shall be paid a sum equivalent to the amount of pay & allowances for a period of 3 months calculated at the same rate at which they were supposed to be withdrawing them (pay & allowances) immediately before their retirement.
— Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) June 18, 2019
It should be noted that all the officials either have pending cases or have been convicted for offences including bribery, corruption, harassment, forgery, and extortion.
Since 2014, various ministries and departments have released similar memorandums asking for regular review of officials under the rule. It includes the Central Public Works Department, Department of Defence Production, National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons With Intellectual Disabilities, Geological Survey of India, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Department of Telecommunications, and many more.
