The Hindu : National : IT staff to go on strike from today

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Tuesday, Jul 25, 2006

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National

IT staff to go on strike from today

Special Correspondent

Deadline for filing of returns nears

NEW DELHI: Even as the last date for filing income tax returns nears, employees and officers of the Income Tax Department have decided to go on an indefinite strike from Tuesday in support of their demands.

The 22-point charter of demands includes better promotion of lower division clerks as tax assistants, implementation of the Board of Arbitration Awards concerning the Income Tax employees, filling of vacant posts, end to outsourcing and provision for proper and adequate infrastructure and training facilities to all.

"We are aware of the difficulties the tax paying public are to face in the matter of filing of the returns, especially the salaried tax payers in whose case the last date for filing the income tax returns is July 31. While we regret the inconvenience to them, we would also like to bring to their notice that the present agitation has been the result of absolute insensitiveness on the part of the Government and specially the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) in resolving our issues," a statement issued by K.K.N.Kutty, joint convenor of the Income Tax Employees Federation here on Monday said.

The statement also asked the Centre to extend the last date for filing of IT returns and simultaneously direct the administration in the CBDT to hold discussions with the representatives of the striking employees to settle all long pending demands.

The employees have pointed out that of the 8,000 Tax Assistants responsible for receiving and processing the returns, the department has only 3,500. More than 50 per cent of the sanctioned strength in this cadre is vacant as is the case with stenographers.

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