The Union government informed the Supreme Court that it is in the final stages of preparing a fresh Tribunal Reforms Bill
July 21, 2026: The Union government on Tuesday informed the Supreme Court that it is likely to introduce a fresh law governing the tenure and service conditions of tribunal chairpersons and members during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament. Attorney General R. Venkataramani made the submission before a bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, stating that the proposed Tribunal Reforms Bill is in its final stages and the government intends to table it during the current session. However, the bench noted that the proposed legislation does not appear in the officially notified legislative agenda.
The bench, also comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi, was hearing petitions related to the functioning of central tribunals and the continuation of members whose tenures are nearing completion. The matter follows the Supreme Court’s earlier decision to extend the tenure of tribunal chairpersons and members until September 8, 2026, or until they reach the prescribed retirement age, to ensure uninterrupted functioning while the government prepares a new legal framework.
The proposed legislation comes after the Supreme Court’s November 2025 judgment striking down key provisions of the Tribunal Reforms Act, 2021, including the uniform four-year tenure, minimum appointment age of 50 years, and aspects of the appointment process. The court had ruled that these provisions undermined judicial independence and amounted to an impermissible legislative override of earlier judgments. It also directed the Centre to establish a National Tribunals Commission and held that previous Madras Bar Association rulings would continue to govern tribunal appointments and service conditions until a constitutionally compliant law is enacted.