CJI Gavai rebukes Centre for seeking adjournment in Tribunal Reforms Act case

New Delhi, Nov 6: Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai on Thursday expressed strong disapproval of the Central government’s request to defer hearings in a batch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Tribunal Reforms Act, 2021, Bar & Bench reported.

The case is scheduled for a hearing on Friday, November 7. The adjournment request was made by Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati through a mention before the Bench led by CJI Gavai, which also includes Justices K Vinod Chandran and Vipul M Pancholi.

CJI Gavai criticised the move, remarking that the government appeared to be avoiding his Bench since he is due to retire later this month. “We have accommodated you twice already. How many more? If you want it after November 24, tell us then. Very unfair to the court,” he reportedly said, referring to his retirement date. He noted that the court had cleared its schedule to hear the matter and aimed to write the judgment over the weekend. “Every time you seek accommodation for international arbitration. You have a battery of lawyers and then file midnight applications seeking reference to larger benches,” the CJI observed, according to the report.

The Bench directed Senior Advocate Arvind Datar, representing the Madras Bar Association, one of the petitioners, to continue his arguments on Friday. The CJI further said that Attorney General R Venkataramani could address the court on Monday but cautioned that if he failed to appear, the matter would be closed. This is not the first time CJI Gavai has raised concerns about the government’s conduct in the case. On November 3, he had remarked that the Centre appeared keen to prevent him from deciding the matter. Earlier, the Attorney General had sought to refer the issue to a larger Bench, a move questioned by the CJI, who noted that no such objection had been raised during earlier hearings.