SC asks Govt to fill up vacancies in ITAT within four weeks

The Supreme Court today pulled up the Centre over the delay in appointing the presidents and vice presidents in different benches of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunals (ITAT) across the country and asked it to conclude the process within four weeks.
A bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar said the ITAT was one of the key sources of revenue earning for the government, but yet it was moving at a snail's pace in filling up the vacancies.
The apex court expressed displeasure when Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh sought three months time to make the appointments.
"The very fact that you (Centre) are seeking three months shows that you are not serious about the issue. This tribunal brings you the money and you don't want it. If the selection has been made, why don't you finalise the issue within a month. How much time will you take? Reject all names if they are useless, but do something," the bench, also comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and S K Kaul, said.

The ASG told the court that certain names were finalised but some of them were dropped following enquiry and that created trouble for the government.
"You conduct as many screenings as you want but do it fast. Firstly, you don't act. And when we ask you to act, you say that courts are interfering in your work. Being cautious doesn't mean you will take three months to finalise," the bench said.

When the court was reluctanct to grant time to the Centre, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi intervened and sought four weeks to do the needful.
"The Attorney General seeks four weeks' time, so as to finalise the appointment of the President of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, as well as, the Vice-Presidents of the said Tribunal. Post for further consideration on April 3," the bench said.

The top court was hearing a PIL filed by one Akshay Pundir, contending that "ad hocism has become order of the day as many of the posts of senior vice presidents and vice presidents have not been filled up".
The petition, filed through advocate Sanjeeb Panigrahi, had said "the timely appointment of Presidents, Vice- Presidents and members will go a long way in tackling the burgeoning tax litigations in the country."
The plea said, "the government is not taking steps to appoint the presidents, nor is it clearing the names of vice presidents. Therefore a chaos will arise in business circles if no person would be appointed as President before the vacancy arises.