A Parliamentary Committee has expressed serious concern over 855 vacant posts in the country's premier investigation agency CBI and recommended strategic steps on a war-footing to fill them. According to the Ministry of Personnel, which acts as a nodal agency for administration of CBI, of the total vacancies, a highest of 626 were at executive level, 61 of law officers and 40 of technical officers.

It rejected the argument put forth by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions for maintaining the deputationist character of CBI by taking officials from states police and central police forces on deputation and
insisted on in-house grooming of the agency's officials.

The Ministry has cited higher pay scales, non- finalisation of recruitment rules and non-availability of suitable officials as some of the reasons behind the
vacancies.