Extension business versus contract officers

The ‘contractual’ extension of the Central Board of Direct Taxes head has recently raised eyebrows, as this is the first time such an arrangement has been made in the department’s history. As per the Government’s appointment orders, he was reappointed for one year on a contract basis. Several in the bureaucracy have doubted the legality of such extensions and wonder why the Government has been ‘promoting’ such contractual engagements to head very crucial departments. While a few top bureaucrats argue that a proper extension of service is more accountable, the grapevine has it that certain people and forums are planning to challenge this kind of extension-giving method in governance before the courts.