New Delhi. The Supreme Court, while hearing a petition on Monday, sought response from the Central Government on vacant posts in Debt Recovery Tribunals across the country. A bench comprising Justice Sanjeev Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar heard the petition of petitioner Nischay Choudhary. In the petition, the petitioner seeks a response from the Union Finance Ministry regarding the vacant posts in the Debt Recovery Tribunal.
The petition claims that one third, or 39 debt collection courts across the country, are not functioning because presiding officers are vacant in them. Due to this, the main work of the court to recover debts from banks and financial institutions is affected. It may be noted that under the Banking and Financial Institutions Act, 1993, a Debt Recovery Tribunal was set up in the country to recover loans from borrowers. According to the petition, 11 DRTs are functioning without a chairperson until September 30, 2024, severely affecting their ability to resolve cases. Therefore, the very purpose of establishing these courts is not being fulfilled.
