The finance ministry on Friday effected all-India transfers of 30 income tax commissioners. The indications are that this list includes some officials dealing with sensitive cases involving high-profile individuals like former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalitha.
However, finance ministry itself chose to describe the transfer as "routine" and along the lines proposed by the Central Board of Direct Taxes. Officials further disclosed that the transfers had the approvals of finance minister Yashwant Sinha and his minister of state.
"These are the annual transfers, which in the normal course take place in May. This year with the budget having been delayed, the process was staggered. We have therefore restricted them to only 30 commissioners as compared to the normal number of around 60-70 transfers. Last year we did 66 transfers and in 1996 it was 77 in number," said CBDT chairman Ravi Kant when contacted for comments.
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The chairman when queried whether the officials transferred included those dealing with the income tax cases involving Jayalalitha, said, "It could be. While transferring our officers we don't look at individual cases."
According to the chairman, the transfers were proposed by the board as per the routine. Thereafter, it was put up to both the ministers for their approval, he added.
A similar transfer of IT deputy and assistant commissioners in early May, effected under the tenure of the then minister of state for finance R K Kumar (of the AIADMK), had taken a political hue since some officials were dealing with tax cases involving Jayalalitha. About 50 transfers were stalled in the ensuing political fallout. Kumar, who fell out with party boss Jayalalitha eventually quit the post.