New Delhi: In a significant decision, the Centre on May 22 kept in abeyance the transfer of 54 Income Tax officials following the arrest of one of the personal assistants of Minister of State for Finance G N Ramachandran.

Finance Minister Jaswant Singh has instructed that the transfer order affecting 54 deputy and assistant commissioners of Income Tax of May 21 be held "in abeyance", an official release said.

The move comes in the wake of action taken by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in apprehending R Perumalswamy while receiving Rs four lakh from Anurag Vardhan, deputy commissioner, New Delhi, it said.

"The larger issue of systematising, rationalising and making the process of transfer and postings of Indian Revenue Service transparent, has already been undertaken by Ministry of Finance," the release added.

PTI