Archive · 12 Aug 2026
Rajya Sabha passes Tribunals Reforms Bill amid Opposition walkout
The leaders who make laws for India meet in a special room called the Rajya Sabha.
On Tuesday, they talked about new rules for special courts called tribunals.
Tribunals are like courts that help solve big arguments, such as fights over money or water.
The new rules would create a group called the National Tribunal Commission.
This group would pick the judges who work in the tribunals.
Most of the leaders said yes to the new rules with a big voice vote.
Some leaders were not happy, so they left the room to show they disagreed.
They said not enough judges from tribal and other minority communities get chosen.
Another leader said a different court should also be part of the new system.
The new Commission will search carefully to find the best judges.
The Rajya Sabha passed the Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026 by voice vote on Tuesday amid an Opposition walkout.
The Bill proposes a National Tribunal Commission chaired by a former Supreme Court judge or former High Court chief justice, with two judicial and two technical members.
Opposition MPs walked out after Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge was cut off while trying to raise the Ram Mandir donation theft row.
AAP MP Sanjay Singh opposed the Bill, demanding reservation in tribunals and noting only one adivasi judge has served for a 10-crore population.
BJD's Sasmit Patra said NCLT should be brought under the new framework, while DMK's Tiruchi Siva raised Karnataka's non-implementation of Cauvery tribunal orders.
- Who
- The Rajya Sabha, chaired by Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan, with Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal moving the Bill; Opposition MPs led by Mallikarjun Kharge.
- What
- Passed the Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026, which proposes a National Tribunal Commission for tribunal appointments.
- When
- Tuesday, during the Monsoon session of Parliament.
- Where
- Rajya Sabha, Parliament, New Delhi.
- Why
- To create a transparent system for timely and fair dispute resolution and to ensure locked capital investment returns to the economy.
Opposition parties
Government / Treasury benches
Reservation in tribunals
Opposition parties
AAP MP Sanjay Singh said there has been only one adivasi judge for a 10-crore population and demanded reservation in tribunals, warning that his party cannot support the Bill without it.
Government / Treasury benches
Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said appointments follow the Collegium system and representation among new judges has improved; Kiren Rijiju said the government does not want any wrong message that it will not appoint people from minority communities.
NCLT under the National Tribunal Commission
Opposition parties
Sanjay Singh alleged the government excludes NCLT because it wants to keep control of a body used to forgive corporate debts; BJD's Sasmit Patra said NCLT should be brought under the same framework.
Government / Treasury benches
Minister Meghwal said the Bill will not change the jurisdiction of any tribunal, and the NTC will handle its own appointments through a search-cum-selection system.
- Bill
- Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026
- Passed by
- Rajya Sabha by voice vote
- Key proposal
- National Tribunal Commission (NTC), chaired by a former Supreme Court judge or former High Court chief justice
- NTC composition
- Chair plus two judicial and two technical members
- Tribunals rationalised
- From 26 to 19 to now 16
- Jurisdiction
- The Bill will not change the jurisdiction of any tribunal
- Opposition concerns
- Reservation for tribal and minority communities; NCLT kept outside NTC
- Session
- Monsoon session of Parliament, New Delhi