On June 2 The SC Will Hear Madras Bar Association’s Request To Stay The Tribunal Reforms Ordinance

What Is The Tribunals Reforms (Rationalisation And Conditions Of Service) Ordinance, 2021

• It is an ordinance issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice which was notified on April 4, 2021.
• It has made amendments in several acts Cinematograph Act, Copyright Act, Customs Act, Patents Act, Airports Authority of India Act, Trade Marks Act, Geographical Indications of Goods (registration and protection) Act, Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Act, Control of National Highways (land and traffic) Act and Finance Act.
• The bill of similar kind was in fact introduced in the Lok Sabha by the Minister of State for Finance Anurag Singh Thakur proposing to do away with certain tribunals or merge few of them.
• However, the bill failed to attain parliamentary acceptance, an ordinance was issued.
• Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) which was set up to hear appeals of filmmakers aggrieved by Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is abolished now as a change in the Cinematograph Act. The appellate body for the same would be the High Court.

What Is The Court’s Opinion

• The bench of Justice Nageswara Rao, Justice Hemant Gupta and Justice Ravindra Bhat postponed the hearing of the plea filed by the Bar Association from May 31 to June 2 because the judges did not have all the compilations of the Counsels.
• In the previous hearing of the case by the same bench, it considered the plea given the fact that it contradicts several precedents of Supreme Court saying that there lies a very strong case however it would be an extra ordinary step.
• This isn't permissible and they cannot violate order of this court again and again. There's a limit to any kind of disobedience of the Court's orders. This is not the way a government can function. – said senior advocate ArvindDatar.

What is your opinion on the ordinance? Let us know in the comments section!