The All India Income Tax SC/ST Employees Welfare Federation (ITSEWA) has urged the Parliamentary Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to direct the Central Government to fill 1,588 vacant Assistant Commissioner (AC) and Deputy Commissioner (DC) posts in the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) at the earliest, contending that prolonged vacancies are adversely impacting implementation of the reservation policy and career progression of SC/ST officers.

The issue was formally placed before the Parliamentary Committee during its sitting held on 14 July 2026 in New Delhi, where representatives of the Federation briefed the Committee on the implementation of reservation policy in the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT). The Committee also heard oral evidence from senior officials of the Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue), CBIC, CBDT, Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT), and the Ministry of Law & Justice regarding reservation policy across the Ministries and Departments of the Government of India. The committee’s agenda and schedule are also reflected on the Lok Sabha committee portal. 

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Parliament Committee Takes Up Reservation Implementation

The revised notice issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat scheduled multiple sessions before the Parliamentary Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The programme specifically included:

• Briefing by the All India Federation of Customs, Central Excise & GST SC/ST Employees Welfare Organisation.
• Briefing by the All India Income Tax SC/ST Employees Welfare Federation (ITSEWA) regarding implementation of reservation policy in CBDT.
• Oral evidence from representatives of CBIC, CBDT, DoPT and the Ministry of Law & Justice on reservation policy implementation.
• Discussions concerning reservation in Central Government Ministries and Departments. 

The meeting assumes significance as employee associations sought Parliamentary intervention to address longstanding vacancies in senior Group-A posts.

1,588 Vacancies Exist in AC/DC Cadre

A vacancy statement submitted before the Committee shows that as on 1 July 2026, the sanctioned strength of Deputy Commissioner/Assistant Commissioner posts across CBIC formations stood at 4,341, whereas only 2,753 officers were in position, leaving 1,588 vacancies.

The statement also reflects vacancies across higher Group-A levels:

Overall, the vacancy position demonstrates that while vacancies exist at multiple senior levels, the largest shortfall is concentrated in the Deputy/Assistant Commissioner cadre, which accounts for nearly the entire deficit. 

Association Seeks Immediate Recruitment and Promotions

According to the material presented before the Parliamentary Committee, the Association of SC/ST Superintendentsrequested intervention for immediate filling of these vacancies, arguing that continued delays affect implementation of reservation policy and promotional opportunities available to eligible officers belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

The Association is understood to have emphasized that timely promotions and filling of vacant posts are necessary to ensure that reservation provisions are implemented in accordance with applicable Government policies and constitutional safeguards.

Vacancies Spread Across Multiple Zones

The vacancy statement indicates that shortages are spread across nearly all major GST and Customs formations, including Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Pune, Jaipur, Lucknow, Kolkata, Guwahati, Ranchi, Nagpur and several Directorates under CBIC.

Several formations show particularly high vacancies in the Deputy/Assistant Commissioner grade, highlighting a widespread manpower shortage rather than isolated gaps in individual zones. 

Parliamentary Oversight Gains Importance

The Parliamentary Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes functions as an oversight body examining implementation of safeguards, welfare measures and reservation policies relating to SC/ST communities across Central Government departments. The Committee regularly calls Ministries, Departments and employee associations to present evidence on compliance with reservation norms and related administrative issues. 

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