Lok Sabha Passes Tribunals Reforms Bill 2026 Amid Protests

The Lok Sabha passed the Tribunals Reforms Bill 2026 on Monday via a voice vote without debate, following heavy protests by Opposition MPs. Introduced by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, the legislation establishes a National Tribunals Commission headquartered in New Delhi to oversee the appointment, administration, and performance of 16 tribunals, including the National Green Tribunal and the Armed Forces Tribunal.

The Commission will be led by a chairperson—who must be a retired Supreme Court judge or retired high court chief justice—and four members, consisting of two judicial and two technical experts. Under the new framework, the Central government must consult the Chief Justice of India when appointing the chairperson and judicial members, with a mandate to process appointment recommendations within three months.

This legislation repeals the Tribunals Reforms Act 2021 after the Supreme Court of India struck down the previous law for violating the separation of powers and principles of judicial independence. The new law aims to create a uniform framework for qualifications, salaries, and service conditions without altering existing tribunal jurisdictions. The government estimates the total expenditure for the initiative at 27.14 crore rupees.