Tribunals are quasi-judicial bodies that help in speedy and specialized justice in specific areas like service matters, tax disputes, environmental cases, and consumer issues.
👉 Part XIV-A (Articles 323A & 323B) of the Indian Constitution deals with Tribunals.
👉 Introduced by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976 to reduce the burden on regular courts.
I. What Are Tribunals?
✅ Tribunals are judicial bodies that resolve disputes in specialized areas.
✅ They work outside the regular court system for faster and expert decisions.
✅ Headed by judges or experts in the respective fields.
II. Constitutional Provisions for Tribunals
| Article | Provision |
|---|---|
| Article 323A | Tribunals for service-related disputes (Central & State government employees). |
| Article 323B | Tribunals for tax, labor, industrial, and election disputes. |
Key Difference
✅ Article 323A tribunals – Only the Parliament can establish them.
✅ Article 323B tribunals – Both Parliament & State Legislatures can establish them.
III. Types of Tribunals in India
1. Administrative Tribunals (Article 323A)
✅ Deals with government employees’ disputes.
✅ Established by Parliament only.
✅ Example: Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) for civil servants.
2. Other Tribunals (Article 323B)
✅ Can be set up by Parliament or State Legislatures.
✅ Includes tax, industrial, environmental, and consumer tribunals.
| Tribunal | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) | Resolves income tax disputes. |
| Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) | Handles disputes of government employees. |
| National Green Tribunal (NGT) | Resolves environmental cases. |
| Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) | Deals with stock market & SEBI-related cases. |
| Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) | Handles loan recovery disputes. |
| Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) | Resolves disputes of defense personnel. |
| Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum (NCDRC) | Handles consumer complaints. |
| Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) | Resolves telecom sector disputes. |
IV. Advantages of Tribunals
✔ Faster Justice – Tribunals reduce court delays.
✔ Specialized Expertise – Cases are handled by experts in the field.
✔ Less Expensive – Cost-effective compared to regular courts.
✔ Reduces Burden on Judiciary – Helps Supreme Court & High Courts focus on major cases.
V. Challenges in Tribunal System
❌ Lack of Independence – Many tribunals work under the government.
❌ Overlapping Jurisdiction – Sometimes conflicts with regular courts.
❌ Appeals to Higher Courts – Decisions are often challenged in High Courts or Supreme Court.
❌ Vacancies & Delays – Many tribunals lack judges, leading to backlogs.
VI. Landmark Supreme Court Cases on Tribunals
1. L. Chandra Kumar Case (1997)
✔ High Courts have the power of judicial review over tribunals.
✔ Tribunals cannot replace High Courts.
2. Rojer Mathew Case (2019)
✔ Struck down rules that gave excessive control to the Executive over tribunals.
✔ Stressed the independence of tribunals.
VII. Recent Tribunal Reforms
🔹 Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021
✅ Merged some tribunals into existing bodies for efficiency.
✅ Reduced government interference in appointment of tribunal members.
✅ Ensured faster resolution of cases.
VIII. MCQs on Tribunals
1. Which Constitutional Amendment introduced Tribunals?
A) 42nd Amendment
B) 44th Amendment
C) 73rd Amendment
D) 97th Amendment
Answer: A) 42nd Amendment
2. Which Article deals with Administrative Tribunals?
A) Article 243
B) Article 323A
C) Article 323B
D) Article 312
Answer: B) Article 323A
3. Which tribunal handles environmental cases?
A) Debt Recovery Tribunal
B) Securities Appellate Tribunal
C) National Green Tribunal (NGT)
D) Telecom Disputes Tribunal
Answer: C) National Green Tribunal (NGT)
4. Who can establish tribunals under Article 323A?
A) Parliament
B) State Legislatures
C) Supreme Court
D) Governor
Answer: A) Parliament
5. Which tribunal handles disputes related to government employees?
A) National Consumer Tribunal
B) Armed Forces Tribunal
C) Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT)
D) Income Tax Appellate Tribunal
Answer: C) Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT)
6. Which tribunal handles stock market disputes?
A) Income Tax Appellate Tribunal
B) Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT)
C) Consumer Disputes Tribunal
D) Debt Recovery Tribunal
Answer: B) Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT)
7. Which Supreme Court case ruled that High Courts can review tribunal decisions?
A) Keshavananda Bharati Case
B) L. Chandra Kumar Case
C) Minerva Mills Case
D) Maneka Gandhi Case
Answer: B) L. Chandra Kumar Case
8. What is the main function of the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT)?
A) Resolve telecom disputes
B) Handle banking and loan recovery cases
C) Resolve environmental cases
D) Settle inter-state trade issues
Answer: B) Handle banking and loan recovery cases
9. Which tribunal resolves disputes related to telecom services?
A) Central Administrative Tribunal
B) Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT)
C) Securities Appellate Tribunal
D) National Green Tribunal
Answer: B) Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT)
10. What is the main reason for establishing tribunals?
A) To replace High Courts
B) To provide specialized and speedy justice
C) To increase government control over judiciary
D) To delay legal proceedings
Answer: B) To provide specialized and speedy justice
IX. Conclusion
✅ Tribunals ensure faster and specialized justice in various fields.
✅ Articles 323A & 323B govern the establishment and functioning of tribunals.
✅ Recent reforms aim to make tribunals independent and more efficient.
✅ Challenges remain, including vacancies and government control, but reforms are ongoing.
Would you like a mind map or more MCQs on this topic? 😊