Centre Plans Fresh Tribunal Reforms Bill, Tells Supreme Court Ahead of Monsoon Session

Fresh Tribunal Reforms Bill May Be Tabled in Monsoon Session, Centre Informs SC

The Union government on Tuesday informed the Supreme Court that it is likely to introduce a fresh law on the tenure and service conditions of tribunal chairpersons and members during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament. The move comes nearly eight months after the apex court struck down key provisions of the Tribunal Reforms Act, 2021, including the four-year tenure for members and the minimum appointment age of 50 years.

Attorney General R Venkataramani made the submission before a bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, which was hearing a batch of petitions concerning the functioning of central tribunals and the continuation of members whose tenures are expiring.

Appearing for the Centre, Venkataramani said the government was contemplating introduction of a new Tribunal Reforms Bill during the current session of Parliament. “A new bill is in the offing. We are in the final stages. The tribunal reforms bill…we will try to push this during this session,” he said.

The bench, also comprising justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, however, expressed surprise, observing that no such legislation appeared in the notified legislative agenda for the ongoing session.

“We have not seen this (Bill) in the agenda of the current session,” the bench told the Attorney General.

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Responding to the court, Attorney General R. Venkataramani said the proposed Tribunal Reforms Bill is likely to be introduced during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament.

The case stems from a batch of petitions filed by the Revenue Bar Association and the CAT Bar Association. The petitions seek measures to ensure the smooth functioning of central tribunals, extension of the tenure of retiring members, and implementation of structural reforms directed by the Supreme Court.

Earlier this year, the Centre informed the court that around 21 tribunal members were due to retire. It warned that several tribunal benches could become non-functional without interim arrangements, affecting the disposal of pending cases.

On March 9, the Supreme Court accepted the Centre’s request and extended the tenure of tribunal chairpersons and members until September 8, 2026, or until they reached the maximum age prescribed under the Tribunal Reforms Act, 2021, whichever came first.

The court further clarified on May 19 that the same arrangement would apply to all tribunals where the tenure of any chairperson, president, presiding officer, or member was set to expire before September 8, 2026. The clarification was issued to ensure uninterrupted functioning of tribunals and to avoid multiple legal proceedings.