The Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) has initiated the process to set up a new panel of lawyers for representation in High Courts and other adjudication bodies following the cancellation of the appointment of 111 senior and junior standing counsels from the panel of counsels notified for representing the board and its field formation before High Court and other fora. Minister of State for Finance Santosh Kumar Gangwar said in a written reply in Lok Sabha that  "This was done in line with the guidelines where the normal tenure is only for three years from the date of appointments and all these counsels had already completed their tenure." Replying to another question, Gangwar said, the government has taken several steps to settle disputes and tone up the overall direct and indirect tax administration. As part of this, he said, directions were issued last year for the formation of a collegium of 2 chief commissioners to consider withdrawal of suitable cases pending in High Courts above the monetary limit.