3 min readNew DelhiAug 11, 2026 05:06 AM IST
The Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026, which provides for the setting up of a National Tribunals Commission to select chairpersons and members for various tribunals was passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday by a voice vote amid din as Opposition demanded a discussion on alleged Ram temple donation theft and a reply from Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the police crackdown on protesters during the July 20 march to Parliament.
The Bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha amid sloganeering from Opposition members, provides for the setting up of a commission to conduct the selection for chairpersons and members of the tribunals, including Central Administrative Tribunal, Armed Forces Tribunal, National Green Tribunal, Income Tax Appellate Tribunal and National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.
The government had started the process of rationalisation of tribunals in 2015 and to that effect, Parliament passed the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021. Certain provisions of the 2021 Act were struck down by the Supreme Court, after which the government brought the 2026 Bill to replace the 2021 Act, Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal noted in the Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Bill.
“The purpose of Tribunals is not to become an alternative to courts, but to strengthen the justice system as a specialised, efficient and effective complementary institution, so that the objective of justice delivery can be achieved,” Meghwal said.
Three other proposed legislations: The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, The Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 and the National Cooperative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2026 were introduced in the Lok Sabha during the day.
When the House resumed proceedings at 2 pm, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju informed the House that Union Home Minister Amit Shah was ready to give a detailed reply on the action taken by security personnel on protesters on July 20 and that the government was ready for a detailed discussion on the issue.
BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, who was in the chair, sought to reiterate that Shah was ready to reply and that Rijiju had assured the House on this.
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This was after Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, chairing a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee, is learnt to have appealed to the floor leaders of all parties to let the House function.
