"Very Sorry State Of Affairs": Top Court Stern On Vacancies In Tribunals

The Supreme Court bench said it may summon "top officials" to give reasons for not appointing peoplein these quasi-judicial bodies.

Terming non-filling of vacancies at various tribunals a "very sorry state of affairs", the Supreme Court today asked the Centre to apprise it within ten days about the steps taken and said it suspects "some lobbies have been working" in this regard. "We must know a clear stand on continuation of tribunals or closing of tribunals. It appears that bureaucracy does not want these tribunals," said a bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justice Surya Kant. The top court was ready with all the details of pending vacancies, provided by the top court's registry in 15 quasi-judicial bodies such as Debt Recovery Tribunals (DRTs), DRAT, Securities Appellate Tribunal, TDSAT, NCLT and NCLAT. There are 19 vacant positions of presiding officers or the chairman in these tribunals and besides them, 110 and 111 posts of judicial and technical members respectively are vacant, the bench said, adding that this cannot be allowed to continue.