Tribunals were meant to offer quicker, specialised, and cost-effective dispute resolution. By easing court backlogs, they were expected to deliver informed and timely judgments
India’s commercial tribunals face 356,000 pending cases worth ₹24.2 trillion—about 7.5% of GDP. Delays have eroded their original promise of speed and efficiency
NCLT and NCLAT together have over 18,000 pending insolvency cases worth ₹13 trillion. Cases take an average of 752 days to resolve—more than twice the statutory limit
Debt Recovery Tribunals have 215,000 pending cases, most beyond the six-month limit. Tax tribunals face 73,000 backlogged cases. The new GST tribunal will start with 480,000 appeal
The Tribunals Reform Act of 2021 dissolved several bodies and shifted cases to courts. Yet, rising vacancies, slow appointments, and conflicts of interest persist
Experts call for a National Tribunals Commission to oversee appointments and streamline administration
Without meaningful reform, tribunals risk mirroring the failings of the judiciary