New Delhi, Oct 9: Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai today expressed concern over the “huge pendency” of cases before the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), revealing that disputes involving nearly ₹6.85 lakh crore — amounting to over 2% of India’s GDP — are still awaiting resolution.
Speaking at a symposium titled “Income Tax Appellate Tribunal — Role, Challenges and Way Forward” and a felicitation ceremony in New Delhi, Justice Gavai acknowledged the ITAT’s progress in reducing case pendency from 85,000 to 24,000 over the last five years.
He lauded the tribunal and members of the Bar for their contribution but emphasised that the remaining backlog represented a significant challenge. “Without the cooperation of the Bar, this achievement would not have been possible,” he said.
Calling for comprehensive institutional reforms, Justice Gavai urged improvements in appointments, tenure, training, case management, and technology, viewing them as interconnected aspects of a modern judicial ecosystem.
He also underscored the need for transparency in appointments, consistency in rulings, and investment in capacity-building to enhance the tribunal’s efficiency and credibility.
Identifying conflicting judgments as a threat to legal certainty, the CJI warned that inconsistent decisions could undermine public trust. He proposed special benches and internal reference mechanisms to ensure uniformity in rulings.
Justice Gavai also called for transparent selection procedures, longer tenures to build expertise, and systematic training for ITAT members. He highlighted the importance of stable secretariat support, adequate registry staff, and greater administrative autonomy to prevent disruptions in the tribunal’s functioning.
The event was attended by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and ITAT President Justice C.V. Bhadang. (Agencies)
