Peeved by the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission, superintendents of Central Excise and Customs have decided to stage a protest before Parliament on September 16 to press for higher pay scale and better promotional avenues.

"The reason behind it (the protest) is the apathetic and indifferent attitude of the authorities concerned in matters of promotion, pay scale, working condition, staff position etc," the All India Association of Central Excise Gazetted Executive Officers (Delhi unit) said in a statement on Friday.

The government has already notified the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission, which will put a burden of over Rs 23,000 crore on the government coffers during the current financial year.

The Association has alleged that compared to employees in other cadres, the promotional opportunities are far less for inspectors and superintendents engaged in collection of indirect taxes like Central Excise, Customs, Service Tax, Inland Air Travel Tax and Foreign Travel Tax.

It further said the Sixth Pay Commission has failed to address their grievance of equity with the employees working in other departments like Central Bureau of Investigation, Intelligence Bureau, police etc.

The income tax inspectors, officers, examiners and appraisers have better promotional opportunities, while the Central Excise superintendents retires as superintendents, despite being recruited through the same competitive examinations, the statement said.