Constitution of a fresh panel of Senior/Junior Standing Counsels against existing slots for handling CBEC cases of Indirect taxation before the various High Courts and other fora - Calling for fresh recommendations - Customs - F. No. 278A/33/2016-Legal

Instruction F. No. 278A/33/2016-Legal dated 24-6-2016 Subject : Constitution of a fresh panel of Senior/Junior Standing Counsels against existing slots for handling CBEC cases of Indirect taxation before the various High Courts and other fora - Calling for fresh recommendations - Regarding. Kind attention is invited to Board's order F.No. 278A/21/2015-Legal, dated 9-6-2016 (copy available on CBEC website) [2016 (336) E.L.T. (T16), wherein a panel of 251 Senior/Junior Standing Counsels has been drawn for a period of three years w.e.f. 9-6-2016 to 8-6-2019 for handling CBEC cases of Indirect taxation before the various High Courts and other fora. In this regard attention is also invited to Board's further order F.No. 278A/21/2015-Legal, dated 18-6-2016 read with Note dated 22-6-2016 (copy available on CBEC website), wherein, with the approval of Competent Authority, it has been decided that the order in r/o 111 Counsels, who were on the panel as on 14-10-2014 and who were included in the order dated 9-6-2016 was rescinded/cancelled. 2. It has been decided with the approval of the competent Authority now to draw a fresh panel keeping in view the requirement of a particular zone and the existing slots, which have since fallen vacant. 3. Eligibility and other terms and conditions will be as contained in Board's D.O F. No. 278A/43/2007-Legal, dated 5-12-2007 and F.No. 38A/50/2011-Legal, dated 14-9-2012. In case some zones do have vacant slot of Chief Commissioner, then the Review Committee of Chief Commissioners set up under the Central Excise/ Customs/ Finance Act shall act as the Committee of Chief Commissioners for this purpose. 4. The criteria for selection of the fresh panel will be as under : (a) The Committee should interview all the applicants. (b) The Committee should note the communication skills of the applicant. (c) The Committee should make overall assessment of the applicant keeping the performance as the key criteria. (d) The Committee should discreetly examine applicant's reputation/standing. 5. I am, therefore, directed to request you to immediately advertise the requirement of Sr. /Jr. Standing Counsels for your jurisdiction in the Newspapers and the concerned Bar Associations. The work of publishing Advertisement should be completed by 10-7-2016 and a copy of the Advertisement should be uploaded on CBEC website timely. The recommendations after receipts of applications, scrutiny, interview etc. must reach Board latest by 20-8-2016 . 6. Clarification, if any, in this regard can be sought from the undersigned, who can be consulted on 011-26195406 and also at [email protected].