- Why in news
- On 20 September 2026, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated the new Office-cum-Court Complex of the Central Administrative Tribunal's Jammu Bench at Bahu Plaza, Jammu. He cited case disposal figures for the Jammu and Srinagar Benches.
- What it is
- The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) is a specialised tribunal that hears service disputes of central government employees. It was set up under the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985, which rests on Article 323A of the Constitution. It aims to give quick, low-cost justice and reduce the load on the High Courts and Supreme Court.
- Legal basis
- CAT was established in 1985 under the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985, to give speedy and affordable justice in service matters.
- Constitutional source
- The Act was passed under Article 323A, which lets Parliament set up administrative tribunals for service matters of public employees.
- Filing fee
- A nominal fee of ₹50 is charged for an Original Application. Miscellaneous Applications, Review Applications and Contempt Petitions carry no fee.
- All-India workload
- Up to 30 June 2026, 10,01,177 cases were filed before CAT and 9,32,723 disposed of, a rate of about 93.16 per cent.
- Jammu Bench composition
- The Jammu Bench began with one Division Bench and now has a second. It has two Judicial Members and two Administrative Members.
- Appeals
- Only about 8 per cent of Jammu Bench cases have gone in appeal to the J&K High Court.
Don’t confuse with Article 323A vs 323B: Article 323A covers administrative tribunals for public service matters. Article 323B covers tribunals for other subjects such as taxation and land reforms.
Don’t confuse with CAT vs State Administrative Tribunals: CAT hears central government employees' service cases. State Administrative Tribunals, where set up, handle state employees' cases.
Laws, judgments and statutory bodies: 30 Prelims questions since 2013 (what the law says, who chairs, legal basis). In Mains, 44 news-triggered questions, most in GS2, asking for provisions and challenges.
Why it matters
- Gives government employees a cheap, specialised forum for service disputes.
- Reduces the service-case load on High Courts.
Problems
- Appeals to High Courts can add another layer and delay final relief.
- Pendency and bench capacity vary across locations.
Way forward
- Strengthen benches, infrastructure and digital tools such as e-filing and video conferencing.
- Improve quality of first-instance decisions so fewer appeals are needed.
Put in your answer
CAT disposal data: About 93.16 per cent of cases filed before CAT up to 30 June 2026 were disposed of.
Digital reforms: CAT has introduced ACIS, e-filing, video conferencing, e-listing and paperless courts to widen access to justice.
- 2019Mains GS2 · Q2Explain how CAT now functions as an independent judicial authority.
- 2025Mains GS2 · Q2Need for administrative tribunals versus courts; 2021 reforms assessment
- 2018Mains GS2 · Q12Whether tribunals curtail court jurisdiction; their constitutional validity and competency
- 2009Prelims Q87Statements on CAT's setup under Shastri and member composition
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Statutory tribunal under the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985; only 7 Prelims questions on bodies since 2013 and this release adds mostly case statistics.
Source: PIB, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, 20 Sep, 16:49 IST · Release 295011
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.