The Income Tax department has as many as 16,696 posts lying vacant but they are manned by existing employees by holding additional charge so that work is not affected, Parliament was informed today.

Vacancies arise on account of retirement/VRS, promotion, deputation and officers proceeding on leave, among others. Group C category has 15,002 vacancies, followed by 1,137 in Group A and 557 in Group 8.

"These vacancies are filled up on a regular basis by promotion and prescribed procedure which is a time consuming process. In the meantime, vacancies are manned by the existing incumbents by holding additional charge so that work is not affected," Minister of State for Finance S S Palanimanickam said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

He said action has been initiated for holding Departmental Promotion Committee for promotion to the grade of Chief Commissioner of Income Tax for the next panel year.

"As regard holding of Department Promotion Committee for promotion to the grade of Joint Commissioner of Income Tax and Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax, the matter is subjudice," he said. (PTI)