New Delhi, Dec 15: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir administration to arrange suitable premises within a month for the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) in Jammu, expressing concern over continued delays in addressing the tribunal’s infrastructure needs.
A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant said the absence of proper facilities was affecting the functioning of the CAT and warned that further inaction could prolong the issue indefinitely.
The Apex Court directed both authorities to ensure that the tribunal is provided operational space within the stipulated timeframe.
During the hearing, the Centre informed the bench that a building under the Jammu Development Authority had been identified after an earlier proposal to shift the tribunal to a private premises could not be implemented due to ownership-related issues.
The court asked the authorities to take immediate steps to make the identified building functional.
The bench also emphasised the need for a permanent CAT complex in Jammu.
It also directed the Centre and the Union Territory administration to identify land for a dedicated building and begin the process within three months.
A status report on the progress has been sought by the end of February next year.
Raising concerns over staffing arrangements, the court reiterated that judicial and quasi-judicial bodies should not depend on outsourced personnel, citing issues related to confidentiality, record-keeping and institutional continuity.
The bench noted that such arrangements were not an appropriate long-term solution.
The matter arises from a petition filed in 2020 pointing to inadequate infrastructure and manpower at the CAT Jammu bench.
The court observed that these deficiencies had been impacting day-to-day functioning and required urgent corrective measures—(KNO)
