Chief Justice of India (CJI) B. R. Gavai on Wednesday raised concern over the substantial backlog of cases across courts and tribunals, revealing that disputes worth around Rs 6.85 lakh crore remain unresolved before the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT). The CJI described the large pendency as a “major problem” while urging institutional reforms to enhance efficiency and credibility, as per PTI report.
Justice Gavai lauded the ITAT for significantly reducing its pending caseload from 85,000 cases to 24,000 in the past five yearsbut cautioned that the monetary value of unresolved disputes still represents over two per cent of India’s GDP.
He said the ITAT and members of the Bar had played a key role in reducing pendency, terming it a major achievement. However, he added that disputes worth ₹6.85 lakh crore still remain pending before the tribunal.
The CJI commended the tribunal’s contribution to the justice delivery system and called for a comprehensive reform roadmap. He emphasised transparency in appointments, consistency in rulings, investment in technology, and improved case management as critical elements for modernising the ITAT.
He said the way forward should be holistic, with reforms addressing appointments, tenure, training, and technology as interconnected parts of a single institutional framework rather than isolated policy measures.
The CJI said conflicting rulings risk undermining public trust and weakening legal certainty. He said consistent, reasoned and predictable decisions help make the law a stable framework for citizens to exercise their rights, while inconsistencies erode credibility and hinder the effective administration of justice, particularly in specialised areas such as taxation.
He even added that transparent appointment processes and structured tenures were essential to help members build expertise. He said appointment procedures at the ITAT must inspire public confidence through objective standards, and eligibility criteria should be framed to attract experienced practitioners at the peak of their careers rather than towards the end of their professional journey.
He further called for continuous training and systematic identification of conflicting decisions through special benches and internal reference mechanisms. Strengthening administrative support, he said, was equally vital to ensure seamless judicial functioning. He added that the tribunal requires stable secretariat support, sufficient registry staff, and greater control over infrastructure to ensure uninterrupted functioning.
The CJI emphasised that the tribunal requires stable secretariat support, sufficient registry staff, and greater control over infrastructure to ensure uninterrupted functioning. |
