The Supreme Court of India on Friday, 6 August, called the vacancies at various tribunals across the country a 'sorry state of affairs' and pulled up the Centre asking them to take a stand on the matter in a week, reported The Indian Express.
Heading a two-judge bench, Chief Justice of India NV Ramana told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, “We don’t know what is your stand – you want to continue to tribunals or close it down?”
"I have given the names of tribunals and vacancies. Please take a stand and report to court within a week. If not then we will call all top officers across the country to appear before us," the bench was quoted as saying.
The bench, also comprising Justice Surya Kant, made the remark while hearing a petition filed by the Bar Council of Madhya Pradesh against the Centre's notification to transfer the jurisdiction of Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) in Jabalpur to Lucknow, as there was no presiding officer in Jabalpur.
Chief Justice also read out the details of the vacant posts in the tribunal during the hearing.
He said that the posts of 20 presiding officers, 110 judicial members and 111 technical members were pending across the country in various tribunals.
Mehta agreed with the court on the DRT Jabalpur jurisdiction issue and told the bench that it won't be necessary to summon officials. “Please give us 10 days,” he said.
the court accepted his submission and set the next date of hearing on 16 August.
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