Today, On 6th September, Chief Justice of India stated that the Supreme Court is aware of the concerns regarding vacancies in the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) raised by the Bengaluru Bar Association. He assured that the matter will be addressed, with the court looking into the unfilled positions.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court, On Friday, informed a Bengaluru-based bar association that it is addressing the issue of vacancies in Income Tax Appellate Tribunals (ITATs).
As a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra convened to hear the day’s cases, a counsel for the Bangalore Bar Association (BBA) raised the concern about vacancies in the city’s ITAT.
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Promising an early hearing, the Chief Justice assured,
“We are seized of the matter… we will look into the issue of pending vacancies,”
The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) is a quasi-judicial body responsible for handling appeals related to direct tax laws in India. Appeals against ITAT decisions can be made to the respective High Courts.
Initially, the ITAT began with just three branches located in Delhi, Kolkata, and Mumbai. However, over time, its presence expanded significantly. Currently, ITAT operates 63 tribunal benches across 30 cities, covering the entire country to ensure wider access to appellate resolution in tax matters.
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The tribunal is composed of 126 members, including a president, a senior vice-president, nine vice-presidents, and 115 judicial and accountant members.
Each bench of the ITAT is typically formed by a combination of one judicial member and one accountant member, ensuring that cases are evaluated from both legal and financial perspectives.
The vacancies in ITAT have become a significant issue, as the lack of sufficient members has delayed the resolution of pending cases. With the Supreme Court now stepping in, it is expected that the matter will be addressed with urgency to restore efficiency in the tribunal’s functioning.