Centre clears appointments to NCLT , ITAT

In an official communication, the Centre announced the appointment of eighteen members to the NCLT - eight judicial members and ten technical members — and thirteen new appointments to ITAT - six judicial members and seven accountant members.

New Delhi: The central government on Saturday approved the appointment of judicial and technical members to the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) days after the Supreme Court pulled up the Centre over vacancies in tribunals across the country.

The Supreme Court pulled up the Centre on September 6 for its “inaction” in filling up vacancies in tribunals. (Burhaan Kinu/HT PHOTO)

In an official communication, the Centre announced the appointment of eighteen members to the NCLT - eight judicial members and ten technical members — and thirteen new appointments to ITAT - six judicial members and seven accountant members.

A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana had on September 6, pulled up the government for its inaction in filling up vacancies in tribunals. As of September 6, more than 200 posts lying vacant across 15 tribunals in the country.

The Union government has no respect for the judgments of the top court and is now testing its patience, said an anguished Supreme, adding the government is “emasculating tribunals” by not filling up vacancies in them.

A bench, headed by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana, further observed it is “very upset” by the government and censured the Centre for re-enacting the very same provisions for the administration of tribunals that were struck down by the court in July.

“The government is bent upon not honouring the orders of this court... Virtually the same Act is re-enacted. We cannot have this situation. Legislature can take away the basis of a judgment but you cannot overrule a judgment by re-enacting the very same provisions,” said the bench, which also included justices Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud and L Nageswara Rao. The bench said that the court will have to consider staying the new law since it is a “replica” of the old law, which was held to be unconstitutional.