SDG 16: Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions
Institutions: Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
At the 10th All India Conference of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) in New Delhi, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh called for reducing avoidable appeals to High Courts so that CATβs original purpose of speedy, inexpensive justice to government employees and pensioners is preserved. He emphasised filling CAT vacancies, adopting modern case management systems (including AI tools, e-filing, digitisation), and instituting performance benchmarks (disposal rates, pendency reduction). The Minister also urged judiciary members to volunteer for CAT benches to support its mandate and reduce backlog. The government views reducing unnecessary litigation as crucial to decongesting higher courts and strengthening the overall administrative justice system.
If implemented, these reforms could streamline disputes in service matters, reduce judicial burden, and boost trust in administrative remedies. CATβs efficient functioning is important for upholding procedural justice and delivering timely redressal to public servants.
The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) was established in 1985 under the Administrative Tribunals Act. It adjudicates disputes and complaints on service matters of central government employees, providing a specialised, speedy, and less costly alternative to regular courts. Its orders are subject to review by High Courts and the Supreme Court.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders:
How can India redesign its tribunal framework to ensure bodies like CAT are not bypassed or weakened, but integrated effectively into the broader judicial system to deliver faster and final resolution of service disputes?
Follow the full press release here: Curtail Avoidable Appeals to Uphold CATβs Mandate