Decks cleared for filling of 144 posts of ETO in Punjab

Chandigarh, December 22

Decks have finally been cleared for filling of 144 posts of Excise and Taxation Officer in the state after the Punjab and Haryana High Court allowed the Punjab Government to fill 115 of these posts through direct recruitment.

Dismissing the plea filed by Excise and Taxation Inspectors Association, Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma has ruled that “… the respondents (state of Punjab) shall be free to proceed further with direct recruitment and fill the posts expeditiously.” Of the total sanctioned strength, 14 posts can be filled by promoting the registration Inspectors as ETOs. This will help maintain the quota in filling up the posts.

The Excise and Taxation Inspectors had been claiming that the ratio fixed for the post of ETOs was skewed in favour of the direct appointees.

The sanctioned strength of ETOs is 395, of which 144 posts are vacant. As many as 121 posts for direct appointees and 23 to be filled by promoting inspectors are also lying vacant.