Government sources said a deputy secretary in the revenue department was sent to Chennai on Wednesday to get Kumar's signature. However, the minister's signature could not be obtained and the deputy secretary returned to the capital on Thursday. The sudden transfers of commissioners, at least three of whom are in Mumbai alone, has ruffled feathers in the revenue department. Sources said some of the commissioners have been transferred after more than eight years, while others have been asked to take fresh positions after tenure of little over one to two years.

Kumar is the first minister of state with theauthority to sign the transfer order of commissioners, who are equivalent to the rank of a joint secretary, as he independently looks after the revenue, banking and insurance departments.

Normally, the union finance minister, who is of a cabinet rank, signs all such transfers, according to department sources. The transferred officials have not yet been given their joining date for their new assignments. However, it is believed that these officials will take over their new charge after the union budget on June 1, sources added.

Kumar had recently been in the limelight for the mass transfer of income-tax officials, including those who were directly handling some sensitive cases against AIADMK supremo J Jayalalitha.

According to sources in Mumbai, these transfers were eagerly awaited as the budget is expected around first week of June. Normally transfers of senior officers are done during the summer vacation o accommodate the studies of their children.

However, this year Kumar did not decide on the issuefor over 15 days, leading to speculations within the customs and excise department.

Among those transferred is MG Venugopal, commissioner of customs-imports. He is replaced by Moheb Ali, commissioner of customs Nhava Sheva. While Venugopal's eight-year stint in Mumbai ends with his transfer as commissioner Central Excise to Pune, Moheb Ali is back to Mumbai where he earlier served as additional director general of DRI, Mumbai. Ali is, in turn, being replaced at Nhava Sheva by KP Singh, who was Central Excise Commissioner (Appeal) in Mumbai. Singh who earlier served in Mumbai previously as Commissioner-Airport is being replaced by Chitra Shah who moves from Commissioner-Central Excise V in Mumbai.

Replacing her is Omkar Nath. Other major change is in posting Shankar Biswas as Commssioner of Customs (General) in Mumbai from DK Acharya who has been transferred as Commissioner Central Excise in Baroda. The incumbent Commissioner of Central Excise at Baroda, SK Bharadwaj has been sent to Delhi as Officer onSpecial Duty in the Tariff Unit. This is a significant post in view of the pendency of the central budget.