ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has decided to take strict action against the inquiry officers who failed to submit inquiry reports on disciplinary proceedings against the corrupt tax officials within the specified timeframe of 60 days.
In this connection, the FBR has issued instructions to all officers here on Saturday, on the inordinate delay in finalising of disciplinary proceedings against the tax officials.
According to the FBR's instructions, the competent authority in one of the disciplinary proceedings case has taken serious cognizance of inordinate delay in conducting the inquiry by the inquiry officer and has called explanation of the inquiry officer on this account.
It may be recalled that as per Rule 10(7) of Civil Servants (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules, 2020, the inquiry officer should complete the inquiry proceedings within 60 days or within such an extended period which the authority may allow.
However, it has been observed that the inquiry officers are neither submitting the inquiry reports within stipulated time nor are they submitting the requests to the authority for extension of time.
Similarly, there are disciplinary cases initiated under Government Servants (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules, 1973 which are still pending with the inquiry officers or the authorised officers, the FBR said.
The FBR warned that this inordinate delay on their part tantamount to "inefficiency" and may lead to disciplinary action against them.
Foregoing in view, all authorised officers and inquiry officers are hereby advised to conclude the disciplinary proceedings pending with them on an urgent basis to avoid any disciplinary proceedings on account of such delay, the FBR added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021