Whether Two-Member Bench Of A Tribunal Like NCDRC Must Include A Judicial Member As Its Presiding Member? Supreme Court To Consider

The bench was of the opinion that the determination of the issue is likely to have its impact on the composition of various Tribunals constituted under the different statutes

A bench comprising Justice Surya Kant, Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice K.V. Viswanathan thus requested the Attorney General for India R Venkatramini to assist the Court on the same.

The Attorney General for India, accordingly, sought four-weeks’ time to examine the composition of various Tribunals constituted under Articles 323A, 323B of the Constitution of India and the Tribunals established under various statutes.

AOR C. George Thomas appeared for the petitioner and Attorney General R. Venkataramani appeared for the respondents.

The bench, therefore, while granting the time sought for directed to place on record a compilation of the relevant provisions regarding composition of the Tribunals, especially the Judicial Members.

The bench has listed the matter for further hearing on April 3, 2024.

Appearances:

Petitioner: AOR C. George Thomas and Advocate Aditya Kumar

Respondent: Attorney General R. Venkataramani, AOR Shashank Singh, Advocates Manoj P Mhatre, Mukesh Verma, Kamal Kumar Pandey, Pankaj Kumar Singh

Cause Title: The New India Assurance Co. Ltd. V. M/S Aczet Private Limited (Earlier Known As M/S Citizen Scale (India) Private Limited)