Rajya Sabha passes Tribunals Reforms Bill amid Opposition walkout
The Rajya Sabha on Tuesday (August 11, 2026) passed the Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026, which provides for the establishment of the National Tribunals Commission (NTC). The Bill also specifies the qualifications, manner of selection, appointment, salaries and allowances, resignation, removal and other conditions of service of the chairpersons and members of 16 tribunals, including the Central Administrative Tribunal and the National Green Tribunal.
The Bill was passed without debate from Opposition members, who walked out of the House demanding that Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge be allowed to speak. The INDIA bloc members have been protesting, demanding that Home Minister Amit Shah come to the House and apologise for the police action on protesting students. The Lok Sabha had passed the Bill earlier on Monday (August 10, 2026).
Replying to a brief debate on the Bill, Minister for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal said the Bill had been brought with the objective of ensuring a modern, independent and uniform tribunal system. He said the setting up of the National Tribunals Commission was the core of this Bill.
“The proposed NTC will be chaired by a former judge of the Supreme Court or a former Chief Justice of a High Court. The commission will have two judicial members and two technical members. The NTC will make appointments in the commission to make it transparent, independent and merit-based,” Mr. Meghwal said.
The tribunal reform would prove to be a key milestone in the adoption of global best practices, promoting ease of justice and ease of doing business, which would further enhance India’s legal and institutional architecture and take forward the government’s commitment to promote timely justice for all.
Maintaining that tribunals play a complementary role to ensure speedy justice, the Minister assured the House that the Bill would not bring any changes in the jurisdiction of tribunals.
The INDIA bloc members had walked out of the proceedings after Deputy Chairman Harivansh disallowed Mr. Kharge to speak, saying that the Congress leader was not speaking on the Bill. The Opposition members raised slogans that Mr. Kharge must be allowed to speak.
The passage of the Bill comes amid a broader political standoff in Parliament, with Opposition parties demanding accountability from the government over recent incidents involving student protests. The government has maintained that the Bill is aimed at reforming the tribunal system to make it more efficient and independent.
The National Tribunals Commission is intended to oversee the functioning of various tribunals, streamline the appointment process, and ensure that only qualified individuals are appointed. The Bill is seen as a significant step towards judicial reform, though Opposition parties argue that it lacks adequate safeguards for the independence of tribunals.
The Bill will now be sent for the President's assent. Once enacted, it will apply to tribunals such as the Central Administrative Tribunal, the National Green Tribunal, the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, and others. The government has stated that the reforms will reduce delays and improve the quality of justice delivery.
