Apropos the report “Banks to assist debt recovery tribunals” (November 3), vacancies for presiding officers at debt recovery tribunals (DRTs) and debt recovery appellate tribunals (DRATs) need to be tackled. In many cases, the presiding officer is elevated to chairperson of the DRAT concerned. The same person cannot sit in appeal over his own orders as presiding officer but the aggrieved party or auction purchaser finds it difficult to get the matter transferred to another DRAT. The only option is via high courts.
Therefore, the government should combine all appellate tribunals connected with economic laws of the country, and constitute regional benches, so that in case of non-filling of vacancies, work remains unhindered. A common chairman-in-chief should be appointed to oversee vacancies and transfers — headed by a sitting or a retired Supreme Court judge.
I R Kanth Hyderabad
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