Income tax employees all over the country have threatened total stoppage of work if their demand to fill vacancies was not fulfilled by the government as it was resulting in heavy workload on them following doubling of tax assesses in the country.

"While the number of tax assesses in the country has more than doubled to 32 million from 15 million, the group 'C' and 'D' staff in the I-T department which does the major chunk of the work has been reduced by 20 per cent," additional secretary of the Income Tax Employees Federation, Mumbai circle, Ashok Salunkhe, said in Mumbai.

This has put a heavy burden on existing employees making it imperative for the government to fill up the existing vacancies without abolition of any posts as applicable to other government departments, he said.

More than 8,000 posts are lying vacant at various levels in the I-T department during past five years during the ban imposed on recruitment by the previous NDA government.

He alleged that while the 'C' and 'D' staff has been reduced, the group 'A' officials have been increased by around 200 per cent and the total number of chief commissioners was 116 as against the earlier 36.

Salunkhe said the employees had achieved zero pendency of work last year in anticipation of the government filling up the vacant posts.

The employees would resort to lunch-hour demonstration from Wednesday and would intensify the agitation further if the government persists with its move to abolish vacant posts.