SC Takes Note Of Status Of Selection Of Members To Various Tribunals, Says Its Interim Order Not To Come In Way Where Substantial Steps Have Been Taken Already [Read Order]

Almost two weeks after issuing interim directions for appointment to various tribunals and putting in place an interim Search-cum-selection Committee, the Supreme Court on Thursday took note of the status of the selection process for various members of all Tribunals and ordered that in cases where substantial steps have been taken in respect of selection process, the same would not be affected. Almost two weeks after issuing interim directions for appointment to various tribunals and putting in place an interim Search-cum-selection Committee, the Supreme Court on Thursday took note of the status of the selection process for various members of all Tribunals and ordered that in cases where substantial steps have been taken in respect of selection process, the same would not be affected by its interim order of February 9. The court said: “In all cases where the Chief Justice of India has nominated the Chairperson of the Search-cum-Selection Committee for making recommendations for appointment of Chairperson/President/Presiding Officer of any tribunal and the Committee has begun its work by holding a meeting, the process will continue according to the terms and conditions and eligibility stated in the A bench of CJI Dipak Misra, Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice DY Chandrachud also ordered, “All recommendations made or to be made by any SCSC for the appointment of Chairperson and/or members shall be processed further without being affected by the order dated 9 February 2018.” It is to be noted that the bench had on February 9 formed an interim SCSC in respect of both judicial and administrative members of all tribunals with CJI or his nominee as the chairman and directing appointment to post of chairman only by nomination by the CJI, fixing the term of office as five years from earlier three years etc. The bench also took note of the status in respect of Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal, Railways Claim Tribunal, Film Certification Appellate Tribunal etc and ordered that, “in all cases where the CJI has nominated the Chairperson of the SCSC for making recommendations for appointment of Chairperson/President/Presiding Officer of any tribunal and the Committee has begun its work by holding a meeting, the process will continue on the basis of the terms and conditions and eligibility stated in the advertisement issued or, as the case may be, as notified on the directions of the SCSC for ascertaining expression of interest”.