The National Tribunals Commission (NTC) is a proposed institution intended to be established by the Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026, to bring uniformity, independence, and transparency to India's tribunal system. The concept's origin dates back to the Supreme Court's suggestion in L. Chandra Kumar v. Union of India (1997). The immediate push for its creation stems from the Supreme Court's judgment in Madras Bar Association v. Union of India on November 19, 2025, which struck down key provisions of the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021, on the grounds that they violated judicial independence and the separation of powers. The NTC is designed to solve the problem of executive interference and the lack of a standardised, independent appointment process for tribunal members.
The proposed mechanism involves a five-member Commission, comprising a Chairperson and four members (two judicial and two technical). The Chairperson must have been a Supreme Court judge or Chief Justice of a High Court. The NTC's primary function is to oversee the selection process for filling vacancies in approximately 16 tribunals, including the National Green Tribunal and the Central Administrative Tribunal, through Search-cum-Selection Committees. It will also review performance, handle complaints, and maintain a National Tribunals Grid.
The NTC is intended to replace the appointment mechanism under the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021, which was deemed unconstitutional. The establishment of tribunals is rooted in Articles 323A and 323B of the Constitution. The core change is the shift from an executive-dominated selection process to an independent body, while the tribunals themselves, such as the Income-tax Appellate Tribunal, remain the same.