NCLT, ITAT get new members

• Integrity Education, Delhi
• 13, Sep 2021

• The government has appointed 31 people as judicial, technical and accountant members at the NCLT and the ITAT
• The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) deals with matters mainly related to companies law and the insolvency law
• The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) deals with income tax matters.

SC remarks

• The appointments also come at a time when the Supreme Court has flagged concerns, saying the Centre was “emasculating” tribunals by not appointing officials to the quasi-judicial bodies that are facing a staff crunch.
• There are around 250 posts lying vacant at various key tribunals and appellate tribunals such as the NCLT, the DRT, the TDSAT and the SAT.

What is a Quasi Judicial Body ?

• A quasi-judicial body is a body which has powers and procedures resembling those of a court of law or judge such as an arbitrator or tribunal board.
• It is obliged to objectively determine facts and draw conclusions from them so as to provide the basis of an official action.
• Their powers are usually limited to a very specific area of expertise and authority, such as land use and zoning, financial markets, public standards etc.
• National Human Rights Commission, National Commission for Women, National Commission for Minorities, etc. are examples of quasi-judicial bodies.