QUESTION 2
GS2
10 marks
“The Central Administrative Tribunal which was established for redressal of grievances and complaints by or against central government employees, nowadays is exercising its powers as an independent judicial authority.” Explain.
WRITE IN
7 min
150 words
What the examiner wants
Explain how CAT, set up for service matters, now acts as an independent judicial authority.
ExplainMake clear how and why it happens: causes, process, and an example for each point.
Demand-wise check
- 1Origin: Article 323A (42nd Amendment), Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985≈30 words
- 2Evolution: L. Chandra Kumar (1997) made HC review mandatory; CAT exercises judicial powers, contempt powers≈30 words
- 3Independence issues: appointments, tenure, Tribunal Reforms Act 2021, Madras Bar Association cases≈30 words
- 4Effectiveness and pendency≈30 words
Open in about 20 words and close in about 20.
Answer plan
OriginPowersJudicial character with casesIndependence issuesConclusion
Where marks usually go
- No cases, e.g. S.P. Sampath Kumar (1987), L. Chandra Kumar (1997), Madras Bar Association
- Missing the High Court review point
Draw this
- Flow: service dispute → CAT → High Court → Supreme Court
Value addition
- CaseL. Chandra Kumar v Union of India (1997): tribunal decisions are subject to High Court scrutiny under Articles 226/227.Supreme Court, 1997
- CaseMadras Bar Association v Union (2021) struck down parts of the Tribunals Reforms Ordinance on tenure and age.Supreme Court, 2021
Mapped topper copies
Reviewed public-source references related to this PYQ. Same-syllabus references are labelled separately.
- Shakti Dubey · AIR 1 · Page 26 ↗Same syllabus reference
Links open original public sources. MainsBuddy does not host these answer sheets.
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