Archive · 26 Sep 2026
Supreme Court Seeks Faster Appointments to Debt Tribunals
The Supreme Court is concerned that important tribunals do not have enough leaders and members.
Two Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunal chairperson posts, in Allahabad and Kolkata, are vacant.
The court asked a committee to finish choosing candidates as quickly as possible, preferably within four weeks.
The government said the selection process has already begun.
It also said a chairperson cannot remain in office after turning 70.
Until permanent appointments are made, existing tribunal chairpersons may receive additional responsibilities.
The Armed Forces Tribunal also has 11 vacancies, and candidate meetings are planned.
The court said filling these posts is important so people can continue getting justice.
The Supreme Court urged faster appointments of chairpersons to the Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunals in Allahabad and Kolkata.
A search-cum-selection committee was asked to try to complete the process within four weeks.
The Attorney General said chairperson tenures cannot be extended beyond age 70 and that additional charges could be assigned temporarily.
The Armed Forces Tribunal has 11 vacancies, with candidate interactions scheduled for October 5 and 6.
The court is examining tribunal vacancies as an access-to-justice issue, after being told around 90 posts were vacant across tribunals.
- Who
- The Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, the Centre represented by Attorney General R. Venkataramani, and the tribunal selection committee.
- What
- The court urged expedited appointments to vacant chairperson posts at the Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunals in Allahabad and Kolkata and reviewed other tribunal vacancies.
- When
- The order was passed on Friday; the court had previously sought vacancy details on September 21, and Armed Forces Tribunal candidate interactions were scheduled for October 5 and 6.
- Where
- The Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunals in Allahabad and Kolkata, along with Armed Forces Tribunal locations including Lucknow.
- Why
- Vacancies and impending retirements were causing functional difficulties, raising concerns about access to justice.
Accelerate Regular Appointments
Limit Interim Arrangements
How to address vacancies
Accelerate Regular Appointments
The Supreme Court urged the selection committee to complete the appointment process for the two vacant DRAT chairperson posts within four weeks to prevent tribunals from becoming dysfunctional.
Limit Interim Arrangements
The Attorney General said the selection process had already begun and argued that the solution was to complete regular appointments quickly rather than continue interim arrangements.
Temporary leadership
Accelerate Regular Appointments
The court considered the need to keep tribunals functioning while permanent appointments are pending, including the possibility of temporary arrangements.
Limit Interim Arrangements
The Attorney General said chairperson tenures cannot be extended beyond age 70, though additional charge could be assigned to existing chairpersons of other tribunals.
- Vacant DRAT posts
- Chairperson positions at the Allahabad and Kolkata tribunals
- Requested timeline
- The selection committee was asked to endeavor to complete the process within four weeks
- Age limit
- The Attorney General said extensions cannot continue beyond age 70
- Armed Forces Tribunal vacancies
- 11 vacancies
- Scheduled interactions
- Candidate interactions were set for October 5 and 6
- Overall tribunal vacancies
- The Centre had earlier reported around 90 vacancies across various tribunals
- Vacancies under consideration
- The search-cum-selection committee was handling the process for 81 posts