The Lok Sabha on Monday passed the Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026, without debate and amid sloganeering by Opposition members, who were protesting the alleged police crackdown on students during a July 20 demonstration against the NEET paper leak.
Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal had introduced the Bill earlier in the day, which seeks to establish a National Tribunals Commission and create a uniform framework for the appointment and service conditions of chairpersons and members of various tribunals.
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Opposition members had sought the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the House over the police action against students. Members who had given notices to oppose the Bill at the introduction stage did not speak amid the din.
What the Tribunals Reforms Bill proposes
The Bill aims to improve efficiency and ensure independence, transparency and uniformity in the qualifications and appointment of chairpersons and members of various tribunals.
It provides for the establishment of a National Tribunals Commission, headquartered in New Delhi. The proposed commission will comprise a chairperson, two judicial members and two technical members.
A retired Supreme Court judge or a retired chief justice of a high court will be eligible to head the commission.
The proposed commission will oversee the selection and appointment of chairpersons and members of various tribunals and provide an independent institutional framework for their functioning.
Why the government brought the Bill
The draft law comes after the Supreme Court struck down certain provisions of the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021, holding that they were contrary to the principles of separation of powers and judicial independence and were inconsistent with earlier judicial pronouncements on the appointment, tenure and functioning of tribunal members.
The Supreme Court had also directed the establishment of an independent National Tribunals Commission with professional expertise, a transparent selection process and an oversight mechanism for appointing chairpersons and members of tribunals.
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Once enacted, the proposed law will repeal the 2021 Act.
Appointment, tenure and service conditions
The Bill also lays down provisions covering the qualifications, selection and appointment of chairpersons and members of the tribunals specified under the legislation.
It further provides for their salaries and allowances, resignation, removal and other conditions of service.
The proposed framework is aimed at creating a more uniform system for tribunal appointments while strengthening institutional independence and transparency.
