Rajya Sabha passes Tribunals Reforms Bill

The Rajya Sabha has approved the Tribunals Reform Bill, 2026, which aims to establish a National Tribunal Commission to oversee India's sectoral quasi-judicial bodies. Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the bill in the Lok Sabha on Monday, and both houses passed it on the same day. The proposed commission will have the authority to appoint or remove members and chairpersons of 16 tribunals, addressing issues such as income tax, electricity, customs, and the environment.

Notably, the bill omits the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) but includes its appellate body, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT). Lawyers emphasize the importance of enhancing tribunal efficiency and streamlining member appointments to expedite dispute resolution. The bill replaces the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021, which was enacted amid concerns over the Supreme Court's constitutional validity of certain provisions.

The bill seeks to create a more professional tribunal system by establishing a specialized cadre of tribunal members, moving away from relying solely on retired or soon-to-retire judges and bureaucrats. The bill aims to address severe manpower shortages in tribunals, which have led to significant delays in dispute resolution. A September 2025 report by DAKSH, a Bengaluru-based think tank, revealed that disputes worth over ₹24 trillion were pending across 10 tribunals in the country.