Administrative Tribunals

In India’s administrative legal system, the tribunal refers to the adjudicatory bodies of the judicial system. They exist separately from the standard judiciary system. Usually, the judicial system is mainly involved in providing justice and protecting the rights of a citizen.

To reduce the burden on the judiciary system and delegate administrative powers, administrative tribunals were established in India. These tribunals hold specific abilities and quasi-judicial powers for dealing with matters requiring administrative or judicial assistance. These authorities function outside the court to implement essential laws and enactments to resolve the adjunct disputes or quarrels. They are the associate bodies of the judicial system who hold the power to enact the special provisions and laws. They also interpret law implementation to maintain effective balance in public administration.

Definition: Administrative Tribunals

Administrative tribunals are special administrative sections framed for necessary decision-making outside the court. They are an integral aspect of the Indian judiciary system. These bodies settle ordinary disputes, quarrels, and misconceptions from outside the court to minimise the complexities involved in the court proceedings.

These are positions, individuals, or boards for teams making judgements on the determined disputes or cases. They were introduced in the 42nd Amendment 1985 as quasi-judicial authorities. Administrative tribunals are not a natural part of the constitution, but with time, their powers and rights are evolving. 

Growth Aspects of Administrative Tribunals

Since administrative tribunals are not part of the Indian judiciary system, they are structured so that they do not cause a violation of the Indian jurisdiction and constitution. In the 42nd amendment of the body in the Administrative Tribunal Act, articles 323A and 323B mention that administrative tribunals hold the power and right to deal with specific administrative matters and situations. With the evolving times, their structure is categorised on the district, state, and department level to function in the administration.  

The aforementioned articles exclude specific jurisdictions from the High Court and Supreme Court, except for a few exceptional cases. The administrative tribunals must reduce the excessive burden of judicial cases on courts. They function as quasi-judicial bodies working in accordance with the apex court.

Prime Attributes of Administrative Tribunals

Administrative tribunals have several attributes stating that their powers and functions are distinct from the adjacent functioning courts. The Constitution is considered the epicentre of the Indian judicial system. Part XIV-A of the 42nd amendment provides the establishment for central administrative tribunals for dealing in administrative matters.

However, these tribunals should not jeopardise the integrity of the overall judicial system. All aspects of the tribunals must work in accordance with the jurisdictional area assigned to them.

Below are some of the crucial characteristics of administrative tribunals:

• They must attain certain features and partial power for decision making like the legal courts.
• The emerging of the administrative tribunals must be statuary.
• They are free from adhering to the regulation of evidence and process.
• They have judicial and quasi-judicial functions and must act according to the judicial regulations.
• They follow the principle of natural justice and resolve aspects and function accordingly.
• These are independently active judicial bodies, and no administrative interference is subjected to their quasi-judicial and judicial decisions. 
• They are responsible for their practical and impartial decisions.
• Administrative tribunal rulings can be appealed using the writ of prohibition or certiorari.
• They have powers similar to courts, such as administering the oaths, summoning witnesses, compelling the document verification, etc. 

Objectives of the Administrative Tribunal Act

The Administrative Tribunal Act was passed in 1985, with all the associated objectives. These objectives entail that they act according to the adjacent bodies like the High and Supreme Courts. Below are some essential purposes of the act:

• According to this act, there must be two main bodies of administrative tribunals. First is the central administrative tribunal (CAT), acting in the central administration and judiciary body. The second is the state administrative tribunal (SAT) that functions in the state jurisdiction.
• This act applies to all central government employees across India. However, the armed forces, judicial officials, and officials appointed at the Parliament or Secretariat are excluded from this act. 

Conclusion

The descriptive details about the administrative tribunals and their associate powers in the Indian jurisdiction was specified. They are an integral part of the administration and judiciary system. With their timely evolution, they assist the High Court and Supreme Court with their power and rights to handle specific situations. The administration provides them with special powers as well as the right to make decisions and act as a court for active participation in the flourishing of the regulatory laws of the Indian constitution.