NEW DELHI: Union Minister for the Department of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh, at the 10th All India Conference of the Central Administrative Tribunal, organised by the DoPT on Saturday, emphasised the need to find ways of avoiding unnecessary appeals in High Courts.
He noted that the entire purpose of the CAT was to provide finality at the tribunal level for ease of justice to employees and to streamline judicial procedures.
Singh also urged all concerned to help ensure that the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) fulfils its basic original mandate of reducing the backlog of service-related cases in higher courts.
Speaking at the 10th All India Conference of the Central Administrative Tribunal, he encouraged members of the judiciary to voluntarily come forward to take up assignments in the CAT “in the interest of administration of justice and in the service of the nation”.
He observed that reluctance to accept such roles had, in the past, compelled amendments to the Tribunal’s functioning, including permitting administrative members to head benches in the absence of judicial members. He reminded the gathering that the CAT was set up in 1985 under Article 323-A of the Constitution to provide speedy, inexpensive justice to government employees and pensioners, while also relieving High Courts of the heavy burden of service-related litigation.
The Minister underlined that the Government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, had ensured that all vacancies in the Tribunal were filled, allowing it to function at full strength. The next challenge, he said, was to clear pending cases in a time-bound manner and to adopt modernised case management systems.
Highlighting the growing role of technology in judicial processes, Singh pointed to progress in e-filing, digitisation of records, and virtual hearings, which had ensured continuity even during the pandemic. He also spoke of plans for AI-enabled case management systems to support faster and more consistent adjudication, without compromising judicial independence.
He suggested that the CAT could adopt performance benchmarking across its benches, with parameters such as disposal rates, pendency reduction, use of technology, and litigant satisfaction. Such measures, he said, would encourage the sharing of best practices and improve transparency.
Underscoring the Government’s commitment, he noted that most CAT benches now had dedicated premises and that efforts were ongoing to further strengthen infrastructure and manpower. He concluded by stressing that while the government can provide resources and technology, integrity and a sense of service remain the responsibility of those entrusted with justice delivery.