Section 3 - Qualifications, appointment, etc., of Chairperson and Members of Tribunal - THE TRIBUNALS REFORMS ACT, 2021

CHAPTER II CONDITIONS OF SERVICE OF CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF TRIBUNAL Qualifications, appointment, etc., of Chairperson and Members of Tribunal 3 . (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any judgment, order or decree of any court, or in any law for the time being in force, the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make rules to provide for the qualifications, appointment, salaries and allowances, resignation, removal and other conditions of service of the Chairperson and Member of a Tribunal after taking into consideration the experience, specialisation in the relevant field and the provisions of this Act: Provided that a person who has not completed the age of fifty years shall not be eligible for appointment as a Chairperson or Member. (2) The Chairperson and the Member of a Tribunal shall be appointed by the Central Government on the recommendation of a Search-cum-Selection Committee constituted under sub-section (3), in such manner as the Central Government may, by rules, provide. (3) The Search-cum-Selection Committee, except for the State Administrative Tribunal, shall consist of- (a) a Chairperson, who shall be the Chief Justice of India or a Judge of Supreme Court nominated by him; (b) two Members, who are Secretaries to the Government of India to be nominated by that Government; (c) one Member, who - (i) in case of appointment of a Chairperson of a Tribunal, shall be the outgoing Chairperson of that Tribunal; or (ii) in case of appointment of a Member of a Tribunal, shall be the sitting Chairperson of that Tribunal; or (iii) in case of the Chairperson of the Tribunal seeking re-appointment, shall be a retired Judge of the Supreme Court or a retired Chief Justice of a High Court, to be nominated by the Chief Justice of India: Provided that in the following cases, such Member shall always be a retired Judge of the Supreme Court or a retired Chief Justice of a High Court, to be nominated by the Chief Justice of India, namely:- (i) Industrial Tribunal constituted by the Central Government under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 (14 of 1947); (ii) Debt Recovery Tribunal and Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunal established under the Recovery of Debts and Bankruptcy Act, 1993 (51 of 1993); (iii) where the Chairperson or the outgoing Chairperson, as the case may be, of a Tribunal is not a retired Judge of the Supreme Court or a retired Chief Justice or Judge of a High Court; and (iv) such other Tribunals as may be notified by the Central Government, in consultation with the Chairperson of the Search-cum- Selection Committee of that Tribunal; and (d) the Secretary to the Government of India in the Ministry or Department under which the Tribunal is constituted or established-Member-Secretary: Provided that the Search-cum-Selection Committee for a State Administrative Tribunal shall consist of- (a) the Chief Justice of the High Court of the concerned State-Chairman; (b) the Chief Secretary of the concerned State Government-Member; (c) the Chairman of the Public Service Commission of the concerned State-Member; (d) one Member, who- (i) in case of appointment of a Chairman of the Tribunal, shall be the outgoing Chairman of the Tribunal; or (ii) in case of appointment of a Member of the Tribunal, shall be the sitting Chairman of the Tribunal; or (iii) in case of the Chairman of the Tribunal seeking re-appointment, shall be a retired Judge of a High Court nominated by the Chief Justice of the High Court of the concerned State: Provided that such Member shall always be a retired Judge of a High Court nominated by the Chief Justice of the High Court of the concerned State, if the Chairperson or the outgoing Chairperson of the State Administrative Tribunal, as the case may be, is not a retired Chief Justice or Judge of a High Court; (e) the Secretary or the Principal Secretary of the General Administrative Department of the concerned State-Member-Secretary. (4) The Chairperson of the Search-cum-Selection Committee shall have the casting vote. (5) The Member-Secretary of the Search-cum-Selection Committee shall not have any vote. (6) The Search-cum-Selection Committee shall determine the procedure for making its recommendations. (7) Notwithstanding anything contained in any judgment, order or decree of any court, or in any law for the time being in force, the Search-cum-Selection Committee shall recommend a panel of two names for appointment to the post of Chairperson or Member, as the case may be, and the Central Government shall take a decision on the recommendations made by that Committee, preferably within three months from the date of such recommendation. (8) No appointment shall be invalid merely by reason of any vacancy or absence of a Member in the Search-cum-Selection Committee.