Update on discussion with Pay Commission and departmental issues from ITEF

ITEF issued a detailed circular regarding discussion with 7th CPC, other departmental issues including departmental examination for the year 2015.
We reproduce the gist of the circular.
Oral evidence before the VII-CPC
On a discussion with seventh CPC JCA urged for same pay scale of ITOs with Officers in the Audit & Accounts Department with a grade pay of Rs 5400 and Inspectors at par with IB and CBI Inspectors. They soufgt similar pay for TAs with other Accounts counterparts and NS with Postal Assistants. As per ITEF CPC has taken "positive and appreciative approach" to all the demands.
Departmental Examination
Departmental Exam for the year is likely to be held in the first half of July

Recruitment Rule

New RR for Ex. Assts. is being delayed by DOPT. DOPT wants a 10 year residency period for the promotion to the new cadre while the association stressed for 3 years. Dept. assured to pre3ss the demand for 3 years to DOPT. 
Association objected any mandatory training programme for promotion in any cadre.
Implementation of NR Parmar Judgement & DoPT Instructions.
"...The true revision as per the spirit of the CBDT instruction to correctly determine the seniority,has to be  the revision from the bottom.  The point was made clear to all and it has been decided to revise the seniority of the cadres where the element of both DR & PR  exists accordingly.  It was also decided that  progress of implementation and revision of seniority list of all such cadres will be monitored by the Authorities every month."
Advance Increment on passing ITI Examination
 '..Our further persuasion at all levels and the sincere efforts made by the Chairperson and Member (P&V) the said benefit has finally been extended to Sr. Tax Assistants and Stenographer Gr. II(Old). We sincerely thank all the members who stood with us patiently for quite long."
Click here to read the full circular for ITEF site.

Advance increment for passing ITI Exam : General order issued

The much awaited general instruction from CBDT finally arrived. As informed in this blog earlier that Board was going to issue general instruction for granting two advance increment to Sr T.A.s and Stg Gr I (Erstwhile Stg Gr II in the pre revised 5000-8000 scale) for passing departmental Inspectors' exam.
"....It has been decided by the competent authority to extend the benefit of two advance increments to the cadre of Sr T.As and Stg Gr I (erstwhile Stg Gr II in the pre revised scale of Rs 5000-8000) on passing the departmental exam for Income Tax Inspectors."
Click here for the full order.
It is evident in the order that judgements of different tribunals and court of laws compelled CBDT to issue a general instruction in this regard to avert further litigations. The influence of association is not very prominent in this case though they are already in a self apprising mood !
 Print the order from ITEF site.

CBDT issues standard operating procedure of operational vehicle

At last CBDT acted upon misuse of operational vehicle. We have described earlier in this blog how the operational vehicles in this department are actually being used. If any one has missed it, please Click Here for the earlier post.
As per the recent communication to all Pr. CCITs it is clarified that
"The operation vehicles are only for operational needs of the department and are to be used for discharging the various functions under the I.T. Act"
"The operational vehicles are not allocated for individual officer. It is for the operational requirement for the entire Range/Unit"
"It is a duty of Pr CIT/CIT to ensure the pool of such operational vehicle is optimally utilized for the aforesaid purposes."
"The Pr CIT/CIT should also ensure that the logbooks of use of operational vehicles are properly maintained and certified"
Click here for the full communication dated 16.03.2015
Now the question is will there be an end of using these vehicles for personal purpose ? Will the Range / Unit will be able to use them on actual official purpose ? The answer lies with the activity of unions and common employees as now the responsibility of misuse is fixed on specific person.

Advance Increment for passing Inspectors' Exam : Present Status

Confusion is spreading regarding advance passing increment to Sr T.As and Stg Gr I. The present status of the same is described below.

CBDT vide it's order dated 5th March 2015 to all cadre controlling Pr CCITs , stated that as per the recommendation from DOLA, two advance increments to Sr T.A and Stg Gr I may be granted as per various court's order. 

The Board has decided to issue general instruction in this matter soon.

It is implied in the order that till the issuance of any general instruction in this matter, only the cases under litigation and armed with favourable court judgement for the employees concerned, may be disposed with granting advance increments.

Click here for the order.

ITGOA seeks exemption from bio metric attendance

ITGOA, in a recent letter to Chairperson, CBDT requested to keep them outside the ambit of bio metric attendance system. To strengthen their cause, they have taken together the Inspectors also.
"The officers in the cadres of Income Tax authority i.e. Income Tax Inspectors and above, are bound to carry out out-door duties, almost on regular basis. Adherence to Bio-metric attendance system will affect adversely the mobility of such officers and so, will adversely affect frequent out-door activities."
Among other reasons they referred to time barring assessments, late working hours in office, occasionally working in saturdays, sundays etc.
Except search and survey duties, that too are also performed by non executive employees (though unofficially) all other hazards are common phenomenon for every employee's posted in assessment charges but the promotee officers are silent on this issue. They sought relief only for themselves, the executive cadres.
Click here to view the letter.

Budget brings little cheer for taxpayers

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his first full-year Budget did not hike income tax exemption limits, as he did last year. However, he hiked the tax exemption limits of some allowances.

Here are the tax proposals in the Union Budget:

1) Limit in deduction on health insurance has been hiked from Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 25,000 to encourage people to take health insurance.

ITEF elected new executive committee

ITEF elected it's new All India Executive Committee in Guwahati conference. As expected and hinted in this blog by the viewers, Mr Ashok Kanojia from Delhi has been elected as President and Mr Rupak Sarkar from West Bengal has been elected as Secretary.
Congratulation to all newly elected executive committee members !
Now secretaries of both the service association, ITGOA and ITEF belong to West Bengal charge. West Bengal , the worst sufferer in cadre restructuring but gallant winner in the union number game ! Is it the reward of unconditional surrender before the other regions ? 

All India Conference of ITEF In Guwahati

ITEF is going to organize the All India Conference in Guwahati between 19th and 22nd February 2015. Leaders from all over the country will exchange their views and by meaningful discussions, future roadmap for the welfare of employees are likely to be drawn.
As we are aware that the visiting leaders (approximately 15 per circle, amounting to nearly 250 in number) remain always busy for the benefit of employees, will mostly avail the aerial route to minimize the travel time. Though Guwahati is well connected by rail, delegates prefer air travel to concentrate fully on the conference itself.
Expense for air fare should not be a problem for this organization. For instance, 16 delegates from West Bengal are flying to Guwahati by a private air carrier at the cost of Rs 7000/- (approx) per head for one way journey only. The local unit is collecting subscription from ordinary members to bear the expense partially. As the conference is meant for the welfare of the members, they should come forward and subscribe generously.
It may be mentioned that West bengal is the only region which did not get even a single post of additional ITO in the recent cadre restructuring. But it may be remembered that the organization is on warpath against phasing out of posts from this circle and the national leadership is constantly pursuing for long pending demands like mobile handset, laptop etc.

Interest u/s 234A not to be charged for S.A. tax paid before due date : CBDT clarifies

CBDT has decided no interest under Section 234A is chargeable on the amount of self assessment tax paid by the assessee before the due date of filing of return of income.
As S.A. Tax was not considered as a component of tax to be reduced from the amount on which interest under section 234A of the act is chargeable, interest is being charged on the amount of S.A. tax even if the asssessee has deposited it before the due date of filing of return.
Based on a Supreme Court judgement, CBDT revisited the provision and issued the above mentioned clarification.
Click here for the CBDT communication for compliance of all officers

CIT to Pr CIT : Promotion Order issued

As many as 264 Commissioners of Income Tax have been promoted as Pr Commissioner of Income Tax in the HAG scale (67,000 to 79,000).
This is a new post consequent to the implementation of cadre restructuring.
Click here for the order

ITGOA in favour of immediate DPC for ACIT promotion

ITO to ACIT promotion
ITGOA in it's extended secretarial meeting discussed about the NR Parmar implementation and as it may take more time to implement nationwide, the association is in favour of immediate DPC on existing list provisionally , subject to further modification as per Parmar implementation.
"The Meeting revisited the objections raised by some of our members earlier while conducting DPC from cadre of ITO to ACIT for the R.Y. 2012-13 and 2013-14 without implementing NRP and also, the overwhelming frustration of the entire membership for the inordinate delay in holding DPCs for promotion in the cadre of ACIT. The meeting decided that the promotions on the basis of the existing seniority list subject to further revision as per NRP might be allowed and, at the same time, ITGOA must put all its efforts, region-wise and at all India level, to ensure the implementation of NRP at the earliest ."
Click here for the full text of communication from CHQ, ITGOA

Implementation of Parmar case : Revised advisory issued by CBDT

Implementation of the Decision of Hon'ble Supreme Court In the case of NR Parmar (CA No. 7514-7515) and others- Corrigendum to Advisory dated 07.11.2014
CBDT issued corrigendum regarding advisory issued earlier on 07.11.2014. Now they made it clear that the SC verdict will applicable to all Group B and C posts where there is a component of both Direct Recruit and Promotees are present. It means this verdict will be applicable for not only Inspectors but equally vaild for TA, LDC, DEO etc.
Details of requisition made to the recruiting agency for direct recruitment and the applicable recruitment year has also been provided by the board for necessary action at CCIT(CCA) level.
It is once again prescribed a time frame for conduction review DPCs in all regions. All such review DPCs should be completed within 30.01.2015.
Click here for the revised advisory and recruitment data.

Return not to be processed after u/s 143(1) after issuance of scrutiny notice

CBDT clarifies that if an unprocessed return is selected for scrutiny assessment and notice under section 143(2) issued, such return should not be processed u/s 143(1).
This clarification certainly removes the ambiguity of expression under section 143(1D).
Click here for the clarification