5.2L cases pending in 16 tribunals: Ministry

The maximum number of cases were pending in Debt Recovery Tribunal (2,33,901), followed by Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (71,454), Central Administrative Tribunal (69,102) and Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (42,502), the Ministry of Law and Justice told the Rajya Sabha.

In an answer to a question by TMC MP Derek O’ Brien, the ministry said that 94 of the 518 sanctioned posts of Members were vacant.

The Law Ministry, however, said it has been making all out efforts to adhere to the timelines for filling up of vacancies in Tribunals that occurred on account of retirement, resignation, promotion and voluntary retirement etc. and are filled up as per the statutory provisions.

Maintaining that occurring of vacancies and their filling up was a continuous ongoing process, the ministry said, “To facilitate expeditious disposal of cases in Tribunals, Government is taking all necessary steps as per the Acts under which the Tribunals function and provide for indicating timeline within which appeal should preferably dispose of.”

It said, “Various measures are also undertaken by the Tribunals for speedy disposal of pending cases which include; Filling up of vacancies of Members on regular basis as soon as posts are vacant on retirement, resignation and completion of terms of tenure, Using technology through hybrid court & of e-court, regular colloquiums for capacity building of members, provisions of infrastructure, etc., Prioritize cases viz. appeals of Senior Citizens….”