SC approves extension of tribunal members’ tenure as Govt drafts new Tribunal Bill

The Supreme Court on Monday approved the Centre’s proposal to extend the tenure of chairpersons and members of several tribunals who are due to retire in the coming months, allowing them to continue in office until September 8 to prevent disruption in the functioning of these quasi-judicial bodies.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi accepted the proposal after Attorney General R. Venkataramani informed the court that the Union government is working on a new law governing the functioning and appointments of tribunal members. The proposed legislation may be introduced either during the ongoing Budget Session or the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament.

According to the government, around 21 tribunal members are scheduled to retire soon. Extending their tenure temporarily would ensure continuity in the functioning of tribunals while the government finalises a new legal framework following last year’s court ruling.

In November 2025, the Supreme Court struck down certain provisions of the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021 , particularly those relating to the appointment and tenure of tribunal members, holding that they were inconsistent with earlier judicial directions aimed at safeguarding the independence of tribunals.

Tribunals in India are specialised quasi-judicial bodies created to adjudicate disputes in particular sectors such as taxation, telecom, administrative services, company law and environmental issues . The concept of tribunals was formally introduced through the 42nd Amendment of the Constitution of India , which added Article 323A and Article 323B to the Constitution. These provisions empower Parliament to enact laws for establishing tribunals to deal with specialised disputes. Accordingly, tribunals are statutory bodies , meaning they are set up through legislation passed by Parliament. They are designed to handle technical or sector-specific matters more efficiently than regular courts , thereby reducing the burden on the judiciary. Examples include the National Green Tribunal , which deals with environmental cases; the Central Administrative Tribunal , which handles disputes related to government service matters; and the National Company Law Tribunal , which adjudicates corporate and insolvency-related cases.

However, the functioning of tribunals has often been criticised. During the hearing, the Chief Justice raised concerns about the lack of clear accountability mechanisms for tribunal members. The court also flagged issues such as delays in delivering judgments, vacancies in key posts and the practice of administrative members acting as acting chairpersons in some tribunals.

The Supreme Court said it would review the progress of the government’s proposed legislation in May.