Supreme Court Calls for Accountability in Tribunals

Context

The Supreme Court accepted the temporary extension of the tenure of members of the tribunal but noted that a new law was necessary to ensure accountability, independence, and the proper functioning of the tribal administration in India.

Key Highlights

• Recently, the Supreme Court of India approved the Union government’s proposal to extend the tenure of the chairpersons and members of various tribunals until September 8, 2026.
• The extension will also ensure that the tribunal operation is not disrupted as the government prepares another legislation that will govern appointments, tenure, and operations of tribunals.
• At an earlier time, in November 2025, the Court had invalidated the provisions of the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021 concerning appointment and tenure, by finding they conflicted with the prior judicial decision-making.
• The issue has brought back the argument of independence, responsibility and structural reforms needed in the tribunal system in India.

Role and Importance of Tribunals in India

• Tribunals are non-judicial institutions that have been formed to adjudicate cases in special fields like taxation, telephone and governmental matters.
• They have been established to lighten the workload on ordinary courts and have cases resolved quickly and efficiently.
• The tribunals are important in enhancing access to justice and administrative efficiency.
• Their operations have a direct impact on regulation, governance and dispute resolution system in India.

Supreme Court’s Observations

• The Supreme Court of India was concerned about the unaccountability and transparency in the operation of the tribunals.
• The Court noted the tribunals have been found to run in an apparently unchecked fashion and be rendered irrelevant without institutional checks.
• It underlined that no one can have full control over tribunals, neither the government nor the judiciary.
• The Chief Justice pointed out that there must be mechanisms to assess the integrity, performance and efficiency of the members of the tribunal.

Challenges in the Tribunal System

• The tribunal system has a number of structural and administrative issues that influence its performance.
• There is a lot of disruption in the functioning of the tribunals due to frequent vacancies and delays in appointments.
• Concerns have been expressed over the independence of tribunals in cases where the executive is a key player in appointments.
• It has also been raised that the technical members may head tribunals without the presence of the judicial members.

Need for Comprehensive Tribunal Reforms

• The need to have a proper legal structure that regulates the operations of tribunals is urgent.
• These reforms must be made self-sufficient, transparent and accountable to the tribunal members.
• The suggested laws must be consistent with the constitutionality and past court decisions.
• It is also necessary to solidify the tribunal system to have effective justice delivery and regulatory governance.

Way Forward

• Another law that should be presented by the government is the new law on tribunal which defines the appointment procedures, the tenure and the mechanisms of monitoring.
• There should be institutional measures of performance review as well as accountability of tribunal personnel.
• Administrative efficiency should be moderate to Judicial independence because it is important to keep the people at ease with the tribunal.
• Tribunals can be made more effective by filling the vacancies promptly and strengthening the administrative infrastructure.

Source: The Hindu

Mains PYQ

(Q) How far do you agree with the view that tribunals curtail the jurisdiction of ordinary courts? In view of the above, discuss the constitutional validity and competency of the tribunals in India? (2018)

• The temporary extension of the tenure of the tribunal members until September 2026 was approved by the Supreme Court of India.
• The provisions of the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021 in relation to appointment and tenure had previously been struck down by the Court.
• Tribunals are also significant quasi-judicial bodies that guarantee specialised and fast dispute resolution.
• The Court stressed responsibility and accountability in the work of tribunals.
• An extensive new tribunal law should be used to deal with institutional and governance issues.

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