Taxing system

Here is an example of the pointless cases that weigh down our judicial system, including tribunals. Recently, the Central Administrative Tribunal declared the appointment of a Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Member invalid after a colleague who had been in contention for the post challenged it. Both contenders were chief commissioners of income tax for whom the post of CBDT Member at the Centre was definitely a coveted post. Ironically, the controversial cadre restructuring of CBDT in June has flattened that hierarchy, so that a chief commissioner and CBDT Member now enjoy the same rank. In fact, the former may just have the edge in terms of work culture, says an official. "As chief commissioner you are the king in your area - the entire staff in your office stands up when you walk in. But a CBDT Member gets only one private secretary and two peons at the most and they are the only people who stand up when he walks in. On top of that, in the ministry you have to deal with the chairman, secretary and the finance minister regularly, but that's not the case in the field," he explained.