Centre gets two weeks to decide on finding a head for Central Industrial Tribunal

The High Court of Karnataka on Tuesday directed the Central Government to decide and inform the court within two weeks about appointing a Presiding Officer to the Central Government Industrial Tribunal-cum-Labour Court in Bengaluru. The HC division bench of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi and Justice Ashok S Kinagi was hearing a public interest litigation filed by the Industrial Law Practitioners Forum.

The Central government Counsel Nishanth A V submitted that before the appointment of the Presiding Officer to the Tribunal, the Search-cum-Selection Committee headed by the Chief Justice of India has to meet and take a decision on it.

The bench said it was adjourning hearing by two weeks for the Centre to take a stand and convey the same to the court.


The post of Presiding Officer of the Central Government Industrial Tribunal-cum-Labour Court in Bengaluru is vacant since January 27, 2021 after the then Preparing Officer Justice Rathnakala completed her tenure.

The petition stated that since then the Presiding Officer of the Tribunal in Chennai has been given additional charge of the Tribunal in Bengaluru. It sought for an early appointment of a Presiding officer in Bengaluru and a direction to that effect to the Ministry of Labour and Employment.