Under pressure from members, JCA to continue agitation

Under pressure from members from every corner of the country, JCA decided to continue the ongoing agitation and threatens to intensify it if at least some of the demands are not addressed properly.
In a letter addressed to Chairperson CBDT, JCA informs the following.
"In this connection, we are directed by the members of JCA to convey to you that if the actual number of vacancies taking into account the Assistant and Deputy Commissioners together are not computed, steps are not taken to address the stagnation in the ITO cadre, regularization of eligible casual/daily rated workers and relaxation of recruitment rules are not ordered, the issue of providing adequate infrastructure is not addressed, we will be constrained to intensify the agitation further."
Click here for the full text of the letter.

Agitation scaled down, most likely to be withdrawn

As anticipated, JCA leaders are the first to blink. The proposed dharna on 28.10.15 in front of the residence of Chairperson, CBDT has been withdrawn. Regarding ongoing agitation, decision is pending still now and to be decided today afternoon.
CBDT informed by a letter yesterday that 180 promotions to the post of ACIT for panel year 2014-15 to be submitted today to UPSC.
Similar exercise for 180 more posts to be done for the panel year 2015-16 has been commenced and to be submitted to UPSC shortly.
A meeting with Revenue Secretary and JCA to be held on 3rd November to address the issues relating to stagnation of ITOs.
No reference has been made regarding the other issues of the five point charter of demands in the said letter.
It is evident with the developments stated above, nothing could have been achieved so far. CBDT was always ready to effect promotion in the tune of 180 per panel year and they did not commit anything more. No other demands have been addressed yet. Still the leadership took this opportunity to escape and probably going to suspend the agitation.
The view of the leadership is expressed below :
" The meeting decided to postpone the Dharna programme to be held in front of the residence of the Chairperson on 28.10.2015 and the meeting was adjourned to 27.10.2015 without taking any further decision. It is felt that to create a conducive atmosphere to negotiate with the Revenue Secretary, GOI, in the issue of determining the correct vacancy calculations in the cadre of ACIT for the R.Y.s 2013-14 to 2015-16 and removing stagnation in the cadre of ITO created due to less number of posts sanctioned in ACIT cadre in the CRC, 2013, it may perhaps be necessary to scale down the ongoing agitation by partial suspension till the meeting scheduled on 03.11.2015."
Click here for JCA circular and CBDT letter.

JCA to decide the fate of ongoing agitation tomorrow - 26/10/2015

Consequent upon the request from CBDT to withdraw the ongoing agitation to facilitate the intervention of the Revenue Secretary, JCA will meet tomorrow to decide future course of action.
Members are insisting to continue the agitation unless it yields some fruitful result especially when CBDT is on back foot for the subdued tax collection this year. Present dispute with employees is certainly put them into an embarrassing situation before the Government.
In the other hand, leaders are worried whether to take it as an escape route to suspend the agitation. 
Will the intervention of Revenue Secretary bring any thing positive ? The West Bengal leadership must have a bitter experience about that ! They can recall the memories of cadre restructuring. West Bengal leaders met the then Revenue Secretary regarding post allocation. Despite positive assurance nothing was offered later and in addition 1633 posts diverted from West Bengal charge.
Click here for the notice of JCA meeting.

Outcome of meeting of Chairperson with JCA on 20.10.2015

A meeting held with Chairperson on 20th Oct'15 regarding the ongoing agitation. The minutes published by HRD available on ITGOA website. The salient features of the meeting is detailed below.
1. Regarding ITO to ACIT promotion - CBDT discussed the issue with Revenue Secretary. He desired a total scenario of career prospects in all cadres including ITO which will be presented before him shortly and thereafter CBDT will try to arrange a meeting of JCA with Revenue Secy within first week of Nov. Revenue Secy. desired immediate withdrawal of agitation , on which JCA wanted time to discuss.
On the other issues, no significant development or concrete assurance was made available from the board.
Click here for the minutes of the meeting. 

CBDT asks for revised seniority list of ITOs - post NRP implementation

"In this regard, I am directed to request that a copy of the seniority list in the cadre of I.T.O. issued post implementation of the N.R Parmar judgement of the Apex Court be sent to this office by return post."
This is the communication from HRD to all cadre controlling Pr. CCIT issued today, 15th Oct'15.
Click here for the full text of the letter.
The revised seniority list of ITOs after NRP implementation is a very embarrassing issue for JCA, especially ITGOA. In most of the charges the revised list has not be prepared as there may be necessity to revert a few ITOs and many existing ITOs will definitely loose seniority. Some of them now availing the benefit of Grade Pay of Rs 5400 which will be subject to revision as their deemed joining date will be much later date and thus pay may be refixed at Rs 4800 again. To avert the possibility of reversion of a few ITOs ITGOA desperately needed a sizable number of ACIT promotion so that all existing ITOs may be accommodated.
If the reversion takes place, the competence of leadership will certainly be under a big question mark. 
Now it is to be seen how JCA leadership tackles the masterstroke of CBDT in the midway of ongoing agitation.