What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has recommended establishing Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) benches in Jammu and Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh, to address the increasing backlog of defence-related cases.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh observed that the AFT in Chandigarh is struggling under a heavy caseload from these regions. Setting up circuit benches in Jammu and Kashmir, Shimla, and Dharamshala, the court suggested, would expedite case resolutions.
ALSO READ: PM Modi to unveil major rail projects, including Jammu Division
While discussing delays in tribunal appointments, Justice Surya Kant noted that the responsibility doesn’t solely lie with the Centre. “Judges often oversee multiple committees, including those managing tribunal appointments. Overlaps in workload sometimes slow the process. A streamlined mechanism must ensure that recruitment begins six months before a vacancy arises,” he remarked.
The court directed the Centre to compile data on tribunal strength and vacancies and strategies for systematic recruitment. It also mandated a four-week timeline for details of ongoing recruitment efforts.
ALSO READ: PM Modi unveils Jammu Rail Division, calls it “monumental”
Senior advocate Vikas Singh highlighted that a vacancy arose when a tribunal member was transferred from Chandigarh to Kolkata. Attorney General R. Venkataramani confirmed that the AFT chairman could approve new circuit benches and assured the Chandigarh vacancy would soon be filled.
On the pending challenge to the Tribunal Reforms Act of 2021, senior advocate Arvind Datar emphasized that provisions from the 2017 Finance Act, struck down earlier, were reintroduced in subsequent laws. The bench advised listing this matter before Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna.
