SC agrees to hear plea on NGT members' tenure before Sep 8

New Delhi, The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to schedule an urgent hearing regarding the tenure of members of the National Green Tribunal before September 8, after a bar association said that three zonal benches may cease to function once the court-granted extension expires.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana agreed to advance the hearing of the matter, which was earlier listed for hearing on September 15.

During the proceedings, a lawyer representing the NGT Bar Association pointed out that the Supreme Court had extended the tenure of certain members only until September 8.

He warned that three zonal benches, including the Southern Zone Bench and the Western Zone Bench, could become non-functional after this date.

The counsel pointed out that the NGT Act does not permit single-member benches and said that, unless the members' tenure was extended further or fresh appointments were made, the affected benches would be unable to function.

"Three benches of the NGT, including the Southern Bench and Western Zone Bench, will all have to stop functioning from September 8 because the NGT Act does not allow a single-member Bench. So it will completely cripple them," the counsel said, seeking an urgent hearing.

The Chief Justice stated that a new law is now in place.

The lawyer responded, saying that appointments under the new legal framework could not be made overnight and that the transition could leave several benches without the required strength to function.

"If this happens, only one bench at the principal seat will function till the new appointments happen, which could be three months or even more. Three zonal benches would come to a complete standstill, and all matters will have to be heard in Delhi by the principal bench," he said.

It was also submitted that while there are currently two benches functioning at the NGT's Principal Bench in Delhi, one of them will cease operations after September 8.

The counsel further referred to the savings clause under Section 24 of the new Act, contending that appointment processes already underway should be completed, but expressed uncertainty over the status of such appointments.

"Then, we may list the matter before September 8," the CJI said.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.