Fill Vacancies In Central Govt Industrial Tribunals By August 31 : Supreme Court To Union

The Supreme Court directed the Union Government to complete the process of appointing judicial officers to the vacant seats of the Central Government Industrial Tribunals before August 31, 2023. The direction was passed by a bench comprising CJI DY Chandrachud, Justice PS Narasimha, and Justice Manoj Misra. 

The petitioner in the matter, Labour Law Association had submitted that as many as nine out of twenty two benches of the Central Government Industrial Tribunals were vacant and three more were to soon fall vacant in 2023. Upon this submission, the Apex Court had earlier directed for a Search-cum-Selection Committee (SCSC) to be formed. Accordingly, an SCSC, chaired by a Judge of the Supreme Court nominated by the Chief Justice of India was constituted by the Ministry of Labour and Employment on March 6, 2023.

Additional Solicitor General Balbir Singh informed the court that the SCSC had carried out the selection process and had made nine recommendations June 26 and June 27, 2023. He added that the Union government had carried out a further process for effectuating appointments in terms of the recommendations made by the SCSC.

Accordingly, the court passed the following direction–

"In the submissions of the Additional Solicitor General, it is anticipated that the process would be completed within a period of four weeks. We direct the Union government to complete the process and notify the appointments on or before 31 August 2023. The petition is accordingly disposed of, at this stage. Liberty to apply in the event of any difficulty."

Case Title: Labour Law Association v. Union Of India | W.P.(C) No. 562/2023 PIL-W

Citation : 2023 LiveLaw (SC) 536

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