Over 400 top-level posts lie vacant in the Income Tax department

Seventy-three of the 91 chief commissioner positions are lying vacant, with some of them for more than a year

Amid economic uncertainties owing to the pandemic, the government’s key revenue agency, the Income Tax Department, has close to 400 vacancies at commissioner level and above, affecting its functioning. Seventy-three of the 91 chief commissioner positions are lying vacant, with some for more than a year. Chief commissioner is the second-highest post in the department, below principal chief commissioner, which is at par with secretary in a ministry.

Due to the vacancies 18 chief commissioners are holding additional charges going up to eight in some cases. Chief commissioners are in charge of operations within jurisdictions allocated to them and are