91% disposal rate for CAT in 5 years, more than UPA's rule: Jitendra Singh

Union minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday said the Central Administrative Tribunal, which adjudicates government employees service matters, has achieved a disposal rate of over 91 per cent in five years.

He said the higher disposal rate was achieved from 2015 to 2019 under the Narendra Modi government, while it was around 89 per cent from 2010 to 2014 during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime.

Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) achieved a disposal rate of around 91 per cent in five years and there continues to be a steady rise in the disposal of cases, said Singh, the Minister of State for Personnel.

He said the Modi government is committed to transparency and justice for all, and the people-friendly reforms taken in the last eight years have benefitted the entire country.

The minister was speaking during a meeting with newly appointed chairman of CAT, Justice Ranjit Vasantrao More, who had called on Singh and discussed the modalities to achieve most zero pendency of cases as mandated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to a statement by the Personnel Ministry.

The minister said despite the crippling effects of COVID-19, CAT benches tried their best to dispose of cases through online mechanisms.

During the pandemic situation in 2020 and 2021, a total of 55,567 cases were instituted.

Despite the adverse situation, about 30,011 cases were disposed of, with a disposal percentage of 54, the statement said.

In 2021, the disposal rate was 58.6 per cent and this was despite the fact that around 18,845 old pending cases of Jammu and Kashmir High Court were transferred to the Jammu bench of CAT, it said.

On measures to strengthen CAT, Singh said recommendations of the search-cum-selection committee (SCSC) have been received in respect of 33 members and a proposal in this regard has been submitted for seeking the approval of the competent authority.

CAT has 19 regular benches, 17 of which operate at the principal seats of high courts and the remaining two at Jaipur and Lucknow.

CAT has a sanctioned strength of 70 members, including chairman (35 judicial and 35 administrative members).

According to the Tribunal Rules, 2021, the chairman can be either judicial member or administrative member. At present, CAT chairman is from the judicial stream.

Selection of members in CAT could not be done earlier due to various ongoing court cases in Supreme Court/high courts challenging the Act/rules governing the appointment of members of tribunals, the statement said.

Hence, the selection process could be initiated only after notification of the Tribunal Reforms Act, 2021 and rules made there-under, it added.