Justice Ranjit Vasantrao More, the Chairman of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), met Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh to discuss recent reforms aimed at improving administrative justice. This meeting, held in New Delhi, focused on showcasing the Tribunal’s impressive overall case disposal rate exceeding 93%.
Since its establishment, CAT has received over 1 million cases. According to Justice More, the Tribunal has successfully disposed of more than 932,000 cases, reflecting a strong commitment to efficient and fair adjudication.
Dr. Jitendra Singh highlighted the government’s efforts under Prime Minister Narendra Modi to enhance transparency and efficiency within public institutions. He emphasized that administrative justice plays a crucial role in fostering good governance, asserting the need for continuous reforms to ensure accessibility and ease of service delivery for government employees.
“The transformation occurring within public institutions is being fueled by technology and transparency,” Singh stated. He noted that digital platforms expedite service delivery, enhance accountability, and minimize procedural delays, making governance more responsive.
The Minister underlined CAT’s initiatives, such as the establishment of new Benches and Circuit Sittings, which expand access to justice for litigants in remote areas. By reducing travel burdens, these reforms significantly improve convenience for government employees located across diverse regions.
He underscored that institutional reforms yield significant results when they have measurable outcomes. The ongoing improvements in case disposal rates and modernization of judicial processes demonstrate the effectiveness of sustained reforms bolstered by technology.
Justice More elaborated on various initiatives undertaken by CAT in recent years, including new Benches at Jammu and Srinagar, and Circuit Sittings in Puducherry, Leh, Kargil, and Vijayawada. These efforts broaden access to administrative justice in underserved regions.
Moreover, Justice More updated the Minister about the implementation of the Advanced Case Information System (ACIS), enabling a multitude of digital services. These services include e-filing, virtual hearings, online notifications, and paperless court operations, which enhance user experience and processing efficiency.
Dr. Singh praised these efforts, asserting they align with the Government’s vision of Digital India. He asserted that digital transformation aims to create institutions more accessible, responsive, and prepared for future challenges.
Throughout the discussion, Justice More reiterated CAT’s impressive statistics: over 1 million cases lodged and approximately 932,000 resolved, maintaining a consistent 93% disposal rate. He added that the backlog has significantly declined in recent years despite the influx of new cases, with annual disposals often exceeding new filings.
The Chairman further discussed ongoing digital governance initiatives, including the comprehensive rollout of e-Office across all Benches, onboarding staff onto the e-HRMS platform, and the implementation of the Public Financial Management System (PFMS). These collective measures are pivotal for modernizing service delivery.
Dr. Jitendra Singh reiterated the Government’s commitment to reform initiatives that bolster institutional capacity and public service delivery. He emphasized the importance of leveraging technology to build efficient, accountable, and citizen-centric institutions.
“Our objective is clear: to ensure governance reforms provide tangible benefits to both employees and the broader citizenry,” Singh concluded, underlining the Government’s unwavering focus on enhancing operational efficiencies within public institutions.