Control of Adjudication Collectorates: FBR takes away powers of Member Customs

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has decided to take away the powers of FBR Member Customs to head Customs Adjudication Collectorates and handed over the administrative control of these Collectorates to the FBR Member Legal. It is learnt that the major decision has been taken in the last meeting of the Board-in-Council headed by FBR Chairman Nisar Muhammad Khan.
According to sources, the issue of administrative control of Adjudication Collectorates has been taken up in the meeting of Board-in-Council. The issue came to the light whether the Customs Adjudication Collectorates should be under the administrative control of FBR Member Legal or Member Customs.
FBR Member Customs objected that the powers to monitor and control the Customs Adjudication Collectorates should remain with him. However, the board observed that the said Collectortes are not monitored by Chief Collectors of Customs and customs authorities are too busy in other official engagements including achievement of revenue collection targets.
Board-in-Council further noted that the Collector Appeals are under the administrative control of FBR Member Legal and the Customs Adjudication Collectorates should also be under the supervision of FBR Member Legal. FBR Member Customs tried to convince the council on the issue, but the matter was decided in favour of FBR Member Legal. Despite objection of FBR Member Customs, the powers to head Customs Adjudication Collectorates have been transferred to FBR Member Legal. Now the FBR Member Legal would administer both the Collectors Appeals and Adjudication Collectorates. It is important to mention here that voting was also done to resolve this issue at Board-in-Council, sources added.