The Union government, on Tuesday, informed the Supreme Court of India about the imminent introduction of a new bill designed to regulate the operation of tribunals. Attorney General R Venkataramani conveyed this development to a bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana. The announcement was made during a hearing concerning tribunal vacancies.
Attorney General Venkataramani stated, “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.” However, Justice Bagchi noted that the bill was not listed on the monsoon session’s agenda. In response, the Attorney General replied, “We will try to.”
Previously, the Supreme Court had urged the Central government to devise a uniform framework for the functioning of tribunals nationwide, emphasizing the necessity of preventing these bodies from becoming ineffective. Earlier, in November 2025, a bench led by then CJI BR Gavai and Justice Vinod Chandran invalidated certain provisions of the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021, related to the appointment and tenure of tribunal members, citing violations of earlier Supreme Court rulings.
The court observed that these provisions, previously nullified, were reintroduced by the Union government with only slight modifications. Consequently, the Supreme Court directed the Union government to establish a National Tribunals Commission within four months. “The creation of such a commission is an essential structural safeguard designed to ensure independence, transparency, and uniformity in the appointment, administration, and functioning of tribunals across the country,” the court stated, highlighting the significance of comprehensive reforms to address longstanding systemic issues.
