Guwahati gets new Central Tribunal Complex after 40-year wait

Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday inaugurated the long-awaited court-cum-office complex of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) in Guwahati, marking a major milestone nearly four decades after the bench's inception in 1985.

Speaking at the event, Singh, who serves as the Minister of State for Personnel and the Prime Minister’s Office, said the development is symbolic of the broader transformation the Northeast has witnessed under the Narendra Modi-led government.

"While the tribunal was set up in 1985 to ensure accessible and time-bound justice for government employees, it struggled for decades with backlog and operational hurdles. The Guwahati bench was forced to function out of rented premises for 40 years — until now," Singh noted.

He highlighted that the Guwahati CAT bench, one of the oldest in the country, has disposed of over 8.88 lakh cases since its inception. Significantly, over 2.54 lakh cases were cleared in the last ten years alone, reflecting what he called a “decade of delivery.”

Singh credited the introduction of digital systems — including e-filing, video conferencing, digital records, and online payments — for streamlining tribunal operations, especially during the pandemic.

However, he also struck a cautionary note, stating, "If every decision ends up back in the high court, we need to ask whether something is amiss. This defeats the founding vision of CAT." He urged legal stakeholders to introspect and work collaboratively to strengthen the tribunal’s credibility and purpose.

The dedicated complex is expected to ease logistical bottlenecks and bolster the CAT’s ability to deliver prompt administrative justice in the Northeast region.