Archive · 21 Sep 2026
Supreme Court Seeks Tribunal Vacancy Details From Centre
The Supreme Court is checking whether important tribunals have enough people to work properly.
Tribunals are bodies that decide certain legal disputes.
Some Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunals have too many empty positions.
The Centre said there are about 90 vacancies across these bodies.
A committee is working on appointments for 81 of them.
The court said people should not lose access to justice because tribunals lack members.
It temporarily allowed three National Green Tribunal members to continue working until replacements are appointed.
The Centre also said 248 members could continue under the Tribunal Reforms Act, 2026.
The Supreme Court asked the Centre to provide details of tribunal vacancies, especially in Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunals.
The Centre said about 90 vacancies exist, with the selection committee handling 81 appointments.
The court said tribunal vacancies raise access-to-justice concerns and should not make tribunals defunct.
The court temporarily extended the tenures of three National Green Tribunal members until replacements are appointed.
The Centre said 248 tribunal members were eligible for extensions under the Tribunal Reforms Act, 2026.
- Who
- The Supreme Court, the Centre, tribunal officials, and applicants seeking action on tribunal vacancies.
- What
- The Supreme Court sought vacancy details, particularly for Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunals, and addressed extensions and appointments of tribunal members.
- When
- The hearing was reported on September 21; the Centre was asked to provide DRAT details on September 25.
- Where
- The matter was heard by the Supreme Court in New Delhi, concerning tribunals across the country.
- Why
- To prevent tribunals from becoming nonfunctional because of vacancies and to protect access to justice.
Court’s Access-to-Justice Concern
Centre’s Appointment Process
Extending tribunal tenures
Court’s Access-to-Justice Concern
The court considered short-term extensions necessary to prevent tribunals from becoming defunct while replacements are appointed.
Centre’s Appointment Process
Attorney General R. Venkataramani said the appointment process had begun and opposed ad hoc extensions; the Centre also said eligible members could continue under the 2026 law.
Vacancies and functioning
Court’s Access-to-Justice Concern
The court emphasized that vacancies can create functional difficulties and affect access to justice, particularly in Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunals.
Centre’s Appointment Process
The Centre said the selection process was underway, with 81 of about 90 vacancies being handled by the search-cum-selection committee.
- Vacancies
- The Centre said about 90 vacancies exist in the tribunals concerned.
- Appointments underway
- The search-cum-selection committee is handling 81 vacancies.
- DRAT concern
- Some Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunals are facing functional difficulties.
- NGT extension
- The court extended the tenures of two judicial and one technical National Green Tribunal members until replacements are appointed.
- Eligible extensions
- The Centre said 248 tribunal members were found eligible for extensions.
- Legal framework
- The extensions were discussed under the Tribunal Reforms Act, 2026, including its Section 24.
- Earlier protection
- The court had earlier extended certain tribunal officials' tenures until September 8 to avoid disruption.