''These transfers are routine and usually take place in the summer vacation. There is nothing unusual about it,'' revenue secretary Javed Choudhury said.

The transfers in the customs and excise department come close on the heels of the reshuffle in income tax department last week which involved seven chief commissioners, 79 comissioners and 15 additional commissioners.

The transfer orders for the commissioners were issued yesterday and for additional commissioners last week, chairman of the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) SD Mohile said confirming the transfers.

He said these transfers were an annual feature, adding they were decided at the finance minister's level and that of additional comissioners at the CBEC level.

The CBEC has followed the transfer policyof the CBDT which transferred all commissioners who had served five years or more in a city and four years or more in a mofussil town.

The transfers attempt to rotate officers in the excise and customs departments, Mohile said.