Lok Sabha passes bill to create panel for overseeing national tribunals
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The Lok Sabha on Monday passed a bill to set up a central oversight body for appointing the chairpersons and members of the 16 tribunals in the country.
The body, named the National Tribunals Commission, will also review the performance of chairpersons and members of tribunals, as well as address complaints against them, according to the Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026.
The Union government will appoint the chairperson and members of the commission in consultation with the chief justice of India.
Introducing the bill in the Lower House, Union Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said that the legislation has been proposed to “ensure independence, transparency and uniformity in the qualifications, appointment, terms and conditions of service of chairpersons and members of various tribunals”.
If passed, it will repeal the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021.
This would be in line with the Supreme Court’s ruling on November 19, which said that certain provisions of the Act violated the principles of separation of powers and judicial independence. The court had also directed that a National Tribunals Commission be set up.
Among the tribunals covered under the legislation are the Central Administrative Tribunal, National Green Tribunal, Armed Forces Tribunal, Securities Appellate Tribunal, Debts Recovery Tribunals, National Company Law Appellate Tribunal and Income-tax Appellate Tribunal.
The draft legislation states that the National Tribunals...