Centre Tells Supreme Court Comprehensive Tribunal Law in Final Drafting Stage, Likely in Monsoon Session

July 21, 2026 : The Union government on Tuesday informed the Supreme Court that a comprehensive legislation to regulate the functioning of tribunals across the country is in the final stages of drafting and is likely to be introduced during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament.

The submission was made by Attorney General R. Venkataramani before a Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi while the Court was hearing a matter concerning vacancies in various tribunals.

During the hearing, Justice Joymalya Bagchi observed that the proposed legislation did not appear on the official agenda for the Monsoon Session. Responding to the concern, the Attorney General stated that the Centre would nevertheless make an effort to introduce the Bill during the current session.

The matter forms part of the Supreme Court’s continuing oversight of the functioning of tribunals, particularly the persistent vacancies that have affected their efficiency and timely disposal of cases. The Court has repeatedly stressed that tribunals, which play a vital role in the justice delivery system, cannot be allowed to become ineffective because of administrative delays or lack of a uniform regulatory framework.

The issue gains added significance in light of the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment delivered in November 2025 by a Bench headed by then Chief Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice Vinod Chandran. In that decision, the Court struck down provisions of the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021 relating to the appointment and tenure of tribunal members, holding that they were inconsistent with earlier binding judgments. The Court observed that the Union government had substantially re-enacted provisions that had already been declared unconstitutional with only minor changes.

In the same judgment, the Supreme Court directed the Centre to establish a National Tribunals Commission within four months, describing it as an essential institutional safeguard for ensuring the independence, transparency and uniform administration of tribunals. The Court had observed that a permanent commission was necessary to address long-standing structural deficiencies in the tribunal system, which could not be resolved through piecemeal reforms alone.

The proposed legislation is expected to provide a comprehensive legal framework for the administration, appointments and functioning of tribunals while addressing concerns repeatedly raised by the Supreme Court regarding judicial independence, transparency and institutional efficiency.