Five months after assuming charge as chief commissioner (CC-1) of the state Income-Tax department Prema Malini Vasan on Monday vacated her seat, only days before her retirement from service.

The 1974 batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer who was transferred from Chennai in November last year had replaced G Rajeswara Rao to become the cadre controlling authority (CCA) of the Andhra Pradesh I-T wing. As per the orders of the Central Board of Direct Tax (CBDT), Vasan will join the Settlement Commission in Chennai. She has earlier served as CC-1 in the Chennai office.

With Vasan's exit, the crucial CC-1 position that has seen several reshuffles post the retirement of A K Basu in April, 2011, is up for grabs again. The CBDT has not yet announced the new CC-1 or even an in-charge official so far. Rajeswara Rao was brought in from Bangalore in September last year to fill in as CC-1 and was re-designated as CC-3 after Vasan's transfer. While speculations were rife about Rao filling in the CC-1 post, but it was ruled out by some as he is set to retire this month.