3. Establishment of Tribunal.
(1)
The Central Government shall, by notification, establish one or more Tribunals, to be known as the Debts Recovery Tribunal, to exercise the jurisdiction, powers and authority conferred on such Tribunal by or under this Act.
(1A)
[ The Central Government shall by notification establish such number of Debts Recovery Tribunals and its benches as it may consider necessary, to exercise the jurisdiction, powers and authority of the Adjudicating Authority conferred on such Tribunal by or under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016.] [Inserted by Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016, Section 249.]
(2)
The Central Government shall also specify, in the notification referred to in sub-section (1), the areas within which the Tribunal may exercise jurisdiction for entertaining and deciding the applications filed before it.
4. Composition of Tribunal.
(1)
A Tribunal shall consist of one person only (hereinafter referred to as the Presiding Officer) to be appointed, by notification, by the Central Government.
(2)
[ Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), the Central Government may-
(a)
authorise the Presiding Officer of any other Tribunal established under any other law for the time being in force to discharge the function of the Presiding Officer of a Debt Recovery Tribunal under this Act in addition to his being the Presiding Officer of that Tribunal; or
(b)
authorise the judicial Member holding post as such in any other Tribunal, established under any other law for the time being in force, to discharge the functions of the Presiding Officer of Debts Recovery Tribunal under this Act, in addition to his being the judicial Member of that Tribunal.]
5. Qualifications for appointment as Presiding Officer.
- A person shall not be qualified for appointment as the Presiding Officer of a Tribunal unless he is, or has been, or is qualified to be, a District Judge.
6. [ Term of office of Presiding Officer. [Substituted 'Term of office. - The Presiding Officer of a Tribunal shall hold office for a term of five years from the date on which he enters upon his office or until he attains the age of sixty-two years, whichever is earlier.' by Act No. 44 of 2016.]
- The Presiding Officer of a Tribunal shall hold office for a term of five years from the date on which he enters upon his office and shall be eligible for reappointment:
Provided that no person shall hold office as the Presiding Officer of a Tribunal after he has attained the age of sixty-five years.] [Substituted by Act No. 44 of 2016.]
7. Staff of Tribunal.
(1)
The Central Government shall provide the Tribunal [with one or more Recovery Officers] [Substituted by Act 1 of 2000, Section 4, for "with a Recovery Officer" (w.r.e.f. 17.1.2000).] and such other officers and employees as that Government may think fit.
(2)
[The Recovery Officers] [Substituted by Act 1 of 2000, Section 4, for "The Recovery Officer" (w.r.e.f. 17.1.2000).] and other officers and employees of a Tribunal shall discharge their functions under the general superintendence of the Presiding Officer.
(3)
The salaries and allowances and other conditions of service of the [Recovery Officers] [Substituted by Act 1 of 2000, Section 4, for "Recovery Officer" (w.r.e.f. 17.1.2000).] and other officers and employees of a Tribunal shall be such as may be prescribed.
8. Establishment of Appellate Tribunal.
(1)
The Central Government shall, by notification, establish one or more Appellate Tribunals, to be known as the Debts Recovery Appellate Tribunal, to exercise the jurisdiction, powers and authority conferred on such Tribunal by or under this Act.
[Provided that the Central Government may authorise the Chairperson of any other Appellate Tribunal, established under any other law for the time being in force, to discharge the functions of the Chairperson of the Debts Recovery Appellate Tribunal under this Act in addition to his being the Chairperson of that Appellate Tribunal.] [Inserted by Act No. 44 of 2016.]
(1A)
[ The Central Government shall, by notification, establish such number of Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunals to exercise jurisdiction, powers and authority to entertain appeal against the order made by the Adjudicating Authority under Part III of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016.] [Inserted by Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016, Section 249.]
(2)
The Central Government shall also specify in the notification referred to in sub-section (1) the Tribunals in relation to which the Appellate Tribunal may exercise jurisdiction.
(3)
[ Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-sections (1) and (2), the Central Government may authorise the Chairperson of one Appellate Tribunal to discharge also the functions of the Chairperson of other Appellate Tribunal.] [Inserted by Act 1 of 2000, Section 5 (w.r.e.f. 17.1.2000).]
9. Composition of Appellate Tribunal.
- An Appellate Tribunal shall consist of one person only (hereinafter referred to as [the Chairperson of the Appellate Tribunal)] [Substituted by Act 1 of 2000, Section 2, for "the Presiding Officer of the Appellate Tribunal" (w.r.e.f. 17.1.2000).] to be appointed, by notification, by the Central Government.
10. Qualifications for appointment as [Chairperson of the Appellate Tribunal] [Substituted by Act 1 of 2000, Section 2, for "Presiding Officer of the Appellate Tribunal" (w.r.e.f. 17.1.2000).].
- A person shall not be qualified for appointment as [the Chairperson of an Appellate Tribunal] [Substituted by Act 1 of 2000, Section 2, for "the Presiding Officer of an Appellate Tribunal" (w.r.e.f. 17.1.2000).] unless he
(a)
is, or has been, or is qualified to be, a Judge of a High Court; or
(b)
has been a member of the Indian Legal Service and has held a post in Grade I of that Service for at least three years; or
(c)
has held office as the Presiding Officer of a Tribunal for at least three years.
11. [ Term of office of Chairperson of Appellate Tribunal. [Substituted 'Term of office. - The Chairperson of an Appellate Tribunal shall hold office for a term of five years from the date on which he enters upon his office or until he attains the age of sixty-five years, whichever is earlier.' by Act No. 44 of 2016.]
- The Chairperson of an Appellate Tribunal shall hold office for a term of five years from the date on which he enters upon his office and shall be eligible for reappointment:
Provided that no person shall hold office as the Chairperson of a Appellate Tribunal after he has attained the age of seventy years.]
12. Staff of the Appellate Tribunal.
- The provisions of section 7 (except those relating to Recovery Officer) shall, so far as may be, apply to an Appellate Tribunal as they apply to a Tribunal and accordingly references in that section to Tribunal shall be construed as references to Appellate Tribunal and references to Recovery Officer shall be deemed to have been omitted.
13. Salary and allowances and other terms and conditions of service of Presiding Officers.
- The salary and allowances payable to, and the other terms and conditions of service (including pension, gratuity and other retirement benefits) of, [the Presiding Officer of a Tribunal or the Chairperson of an Appellate Tribunal] [Substituted by Act 1 of 2000, Section 2, for "the Presiding Officer of a Tribunal or an Appellate Tribunal" (w.r.e.f. 17.1.2000).] shall be such as may be prescribed:
Provided that neither the salary and allowances nor the other terms and conditions of service of [the Presiding Officer of a Tribunal or the Chairperson of an Appellate Tribunal shall be varied to his] [Substituted by Act 1 of 2000, Section 6, for "the said Presiding Officers shall be varied to their" (w.e.f. 17.1.2000).] disadvantage after appointment.
14. Filling up of vacancies.
- If, for any reason other than temporary absence, any vacancy occurs in the office of [the Presiding Officer of a Tribunal or the Chairperson of an Appellate Tribunal] [Substituted by Act 1 of 2000, Section 2, for "the Presiding Officer of a Tribunal or an Appellate Tribunal" (w.r.e.f. 17.1.2000).], then the Central Government shall appoint another person in accordance with the provisions of this Act to fill the vacancy and the proceedings may be continued before the Tribunal or the Appellate Tribunal from the stage at which the vacancy is filled.
15. Resignation and removal.
(1)
[The Presiding Officer of a Tribunal or the Chairperson of an Appellate Tribunal] [Substituted by Act 1 of 2000, Section 2, for "the Presiding Officer of a Tribunal or an Appellate Tribunal" (w.r.e.f. 17.1.2000).] may, by notice in writing under his hand addressed to the Central Government, resign his office:
Provided that [the Presiding Officer of a Tribunal or the Chairperson of an Appellate Tribunal] [Substituted by Act 1 of 2000, Section 7, for "the said Presiding Officer" (w.r.e.f. 17.1.2000).] shall, unless he is permitted by the Central Government to relinquish his office sooner, continue to hold office until the expiry of three months from the date of receipt of such notice or until a person duly appointed as his successor enters upon his office or until the expiry of his term of office, whichever is the earliest.
(2)
[The Presiding Officer of a Tribunal or the Chairperson of an Appellate Tribunal] [Substituted by Act 1 of 2000, Section 2, for "the Presiding Officer of a Tribunal or an Appellate Tribunal" (w.r.e.f. 17.1.2000).] shall not be removed from his office except by an order made by the Central Government on the ground of proved misbehaviour or incapacity after inquiry,
(a)
in the case of the Presiding Officer of a Tribunal, made by a Judge of a High Court;
(b)
in the case of [the Chairperson of an Appellate Tribunal] [Substituted by Act 1 of 2000, Section 2, for "the Presiding Officer of an Appellate Tribunal" (w.r.e.f. 17.1.2000).], made by a Judge of the Supreme Court,
in which [the Presiding Officer of a Tribunal or the Chairperson of an Appellate Tribunal] [Substituted by Act 1 of 2000, Section 7, for "the Presiding Officer concerned" and [the Presiding Officer concerned" and [the aforesaid Presiding Officer" , respectively (w.r.e.f. 17.1.2000).] has been informed of the charges against him and given a reasonable opportunity of being heard in respect of these charges.
[Provided that the Central Government, during the pendency of the inquiry against the Presiding Officer or a Chairperson, as the case may be, may, after consulting the Chairperson of the Selection Committee constituted for selection of Presiding Officer or Chairperson pass an order suspending the Presiding Officer or the Chairperson, if it is satisfied that he should cease to discharge his functions as a Presiding Officer or Chairperson, as the case may be.] [Inserted by Act No. 1 OF 2013]
(3)
The Central Government may, by rules, regulate the procedure for the investigation of misbehaviour or incapacity of [the Presiding Officer of a Tribunal or the Chairperson of an Appellate Tribunal.] [Substituted by Act 1 of 2000, Section 7, for "the Presiding Officer concerned" and [the Presiding Officer concerned" and [the aforesaid Presiding Officer" , respectively (w.r.e.f. 17.1.2000).]
16. Orders constituting Tribunal or an Appellate Tribunal to be final and not to invalidate its proceedings.
- No order of the Central Government appointing any person as [the Presiding Officer of a Tribunal or the Chairperson of an Appellate Tribunal] [Substituted by Act 1 of 2000, Section 2, for "the Presiding Officer of a Tribunal or an Appellate Tribunal" (w.r.e.f. 17.1.2000).] shall be called in question in any manner, and no act or proceeding before a Tribunal or an Appellate Tribunal shall be called in question in any manner on the ground merely of any defect in the constitution of a Tribunal or an Appellate Tribunal.