As many as 144 posts were lying vacant at the Serious Fraud Investigation Office and the Competition Commission of India at the end of March this year, the government said today.

Corporate Affairs Minister Arun Jaitley informed the Rajya Sabha that out of the 131 positions at the SFIO, 72 were vacant at the end of March 31, 2016. In 2014-15, there were 77 vacancies, much higher than 71 in 2013-14.

At CCI, there were 72 vacant positions out of the sanctioned strength of 197, in the last financial year.

The number of vacancies at the fair trade regulator was slightly higher than 68 seen in 2014-15, while it was 92 in 2013-14. In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Jaitley said out of the 25 sanctioned posts at the Competition Appellate Tribunal, 19 were vacant at the end of March.