SC Urges Early Filling Of Vacant Posts In Income Tax Appellate Tribunal

New Delhi, May 27 (KNN) The Supreme Court of India recently expressed concern over the vacancies in the administrative staff of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) and asked the Attorney General for India to ensure without delay that the posts are filled.

The bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi was hearing a writ petition filed by Praveen Kumar Bansal regarding longstanding vacancies in the tribunal’s administrative structure.

Making an appearance in the matter, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi informed the Court that several important administrative posts like Assistant Registrars and Private Secretaries in the ITAT had remained vacant for years, adversely affecting the functioning of the tribunal.

According to Rohatgi, the issue was not limited to the principal bench but extended across tribunals nationwide.

Taking note of the submissions, the Chief Justice said the Court was itself surprised that the posts had remained vacant for such a long period and indicated that appropriate steps would be taken to address the issue. 

The bench subsequently stated that it would request the Attorney General for India to examine the matter and directed that a copy of the petition be provided to the office of the Attorney General to facilitate steps for filling the vacant posts in the tribunal at the earliest.

The petition sought directions for the immediate initiation and completion of recruitment for vacant Deputy Registrar and Assistant Registrar posts in the ITAT, as highlighted in a representation submitted on December 27, 2025.

It also requested the convening of the long-pending Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) to consider promotions for posts such as Senior Private Secretary, Private Secretary and other subordinate staff positions, which the petitioner said had been pending since 2015 and 2017.

Additionally, the plea requested a status report from the concerned authorities specifying timelines for filling the vacancies.

(KNN Bureau)