Dilli Ka Babu: Delay in appointments

Why do several posts at the top levels in government and public sector undertakings remain vacant for months sometimes? Even the Reserve Bank of India is yet to get its full strength of deputy governors. There was considerable delay on part of the government before appointment of a director for the Central Bureau of Investigation. It’s a question that bothers babu-watchers and many in the public. Since many such vacancies arise due to superannuation, the date of tenure is not exactly a secret. Some posit that babus wait for a political nod to initiate the process.

At present, the Oriental Insurance Company, United India Insurance Company and Agricultural Insurance Corporation are headless, and have been so for a long time. The selection process was cancelled twice and on the third occasion interviews were conducted. The Cabinet had decided to list the first-two named general insurer after New India Assurance and GIC in the next fiscal. Finance minister Arun Jaitley has reportedly asked these companies to tighten up the belts and improve in profitability. But to whom is he addressing in these companies, which are headless or run on ad hoc basis?

Surely it can’t be the efficiency and effectiveness sought by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the civil services cadre?

Supreme Court makes a point
The Supreme Court has directed the Centre to issue a fresh notification on the appointment of Karnal Singh as director of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for two years in consonance with provision of the Central Vigilance Commission Act, saying, “A rule cannot override a statute.”

Mr Singh, who was holding the additional charge of the director’s post after being granted extension, was appointed a full-time director of ED on October 27, 2016 till August 31, 2017, the date of his superannuation. However, this is not in consonance with the CVC Act, which fixes tenure of ED director at not less than two years. So the current appointment letter does not comply with the act, the court has noted.

It is now hoped that once the new notification is issued the matter will finally rest. It had come on a PIL filed last year by Mumbai-based former Indian Revenue Service officer Uday Babu Khalwadekar, seeking quashing of ad-hoc appointment and subsequent extensions granted by Centre to Mr Singh as head of the agency in alleged violation of the law.

Taxmen edgy about GST
Now that the states have signed on, it is the turn of the tax babus to protest decisions of the GST Council, which, they say, will make the new regime and its implementation almost entirely a responsibility of state governments and not that of the Centre.

The Central revenue officers, including customs and excise, are agitated enough to sport black badges to work in a bid to get the Centre’s attention. According to the Indian Revenue Service Association, the council’s decision to give control of 90 per cent of the tax assessees below an annual turnover of Rs 1.5 crores to states will lead to a depletion of the taxpayer base with the Centre.

Though finance minister Arun Jaitley has tried to assuage their concerns, saying, “there is no reason for disquiet”, the Central tax babus are unconvinced. They are claiming that with no experience, the state officers will find it difficult to implement GST and it will create chaos among taxpayers. Will their counterparts in the states now respond?