New Delhi: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of two senior IRS (Customs & Indirect Taxes) officers as Members of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC). The decision comes after a rigorous selection process in which fifteen candidates were interviewed for three vacant positions at the apex indirect tax authority.
New Members of CBIC
The newly appointed Members are both from the 1992 batch of IRS (C&IT) –
- Sanjay Mangal – currently serving as Chief Commissioner, Meerut GST & CX Zone. His tenure as CBIC Member is set to continue until January 2027.
- Abhai Kumar Srivastav – currently Director General of the Directorate General of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), the premier anti-smuggling agency. His tenure will last until February 2028.
These appointments aim to strengthen CBIC’s leadership at a critical time, given the ongoing modernization of indirect tax administration and focus on compliance and enforcement.
Competitive Selection Process
The selection process, which began in late December 2025 and concluded in mid-January 2026, was highly competitive. Fifteen candidates were shortlisted and interviewed to fill vacancies created by the retirements of:
- Sanjay Kumar Agrawal (IRS: 1988)
- Shashank Priya (IRS: 1988)
- Aruna Narayan Gupta (IRS: 1989)
Despite three vacancies, only two appointments were confirmed by the ACC.
Third Position Remains Vacant
Sources indicate that the third CBIC Member slot remains vacant. While a candidate was reportedly near finalization, the appointment has been put on hold. Insiders suggest that the administrative hierarchy is allowing “the dust to settle” before confirming the third member, raising speculation about the internal vetting and clearance process.
Significance of the Appointments
These appointments mark a key phase in CBIC’s leadership reshuffle, bringing in experienced officers with strong backgrounds in GST administration, anti-smuggling operations, and policy implementation. With the growing emphasis on indirect tax compliance, trade facilitation, and border security, the leadership of experienced IRS officers is critical to advancing the government’s economic and regulatory agenda.
