CBIC Appoints IRS Vivek Chaturvedi As New Chairman

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has appointed Vivek Chaturvedi as the new Chairman of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).

Chaturvedi is a 1990-batch Indian Revenue Service (C&IT) officer and is set to succeed Sanjay Kumar Agarwal, who retired Nov. 28 after a tenure marked by significant modernisation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) framework, the government confirmed in a press release.

Prior to his new role as CBIC chairman, Chaturvedi served as a Member of the organisation.

He previously held the critical post of Principal Director General of Vigilance and Chief Vigilance Officer for the board, where he was tasked with internal oversight.

He also headed the Directorate General of Analytics and Risk Management (DGARM), a wing pivotal to the department's efforts in using data analytics to curb tax evasion.

Meanwhile, outgoing Chairman Agarwal, a 1988-batch officer, concluded his service with a push to resolve legacy adjudication disputes from the pre-GST era.

Agarwal also oversaw the recent GST reformation implemented on Sept. 22, which was a huge step forward towards the liberalisation of the tax system.

His tenure also saw the launch of a revised Citizens’ Charter and digital initiatives aimed at improving taxpayer services.