Some income tax department officials in the state have called for a strike following the promotional transfer of 16 of their colleagues from Tamil Nadu to West Bengal in alleged violation of the transfer policy.

The Joint Council of Action, a federal body of the Income Tax Employees Federation (ITEF) and Income Tax Gazetted Officers Association (IGOA), has asked its members not to submit any statistical reports and not to take part in search, including TDS survey or inspection, till their demands are met. They are also threatening to go on a full-fledged strike.

The department, which has ordered promotion of the 16 income tax officers as assistant commissioner, income tax, has directed the officers to join for duty in West Bengal to get their promotion confirmed, union activists here alleged. Four others have also been transferred but not to West Bengal.

"This is the first time such an order has been made and it is against the transfer rules. All the twenty income tax officers are getting this transfer after a gap of 12 to 16 years. The order also has a provision to decline the promotion if they do not want the transfer. So, many of us are planning to apply for voluntary retirement scheme and some are planning to decline the promotion," M Vivekanandan, general secretary, IGOA, told The Times Of India.

He said as per the transfer policy, officers whose children are studying in 10th and 12th standard, had to be retained in the same station, adding that the order had violated this rule. The union activists said that according to the policy, the officers were only allowed to be transferred within the region. So the officials in Tamil Nadu could be transferred anywhere in the four southern states, which came under one circle.

"There were about 97 vacancies in Tamil Nadu itself, and after this promotion-cum- postings order, there are 47 posts still remaining vacant as some officials have been transferred from other states to Tamil Nadu. Also there are 52 vacancies in the neighbouring states. Those who are promoted from other states have been accommodated in the neighbouring states. Singling out Tamil Nadu for this en masse transfer is unusual," Vivekanandan said. He said the order had also asked for a vigilance clearance for the officials to get the posting to humiliate them.

"The vigilance clearance is being sought twice before the appointment and only those without any vigilance cases against them are being considered for promotion or promotional transfers. So why do they want a third vigilance clearance? This is to humiliate us," he alleged.