Former Supreme Court Justice Rajesh Bindal has been appointed chairperson of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT). Justice Bindal served more than three years in apex court and retired on April 15 this year. He had earlier served as Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court before his elevation to the Supreme Court in February 2023.
The appointment comes months after former Supreme Court Justice Ashok Bhushan completed his tenure as NCLAT chairperson on July 4, 2026. Following Justice Bhushan’s retirement, Justice Yogesh Khanna, a judicial member of the appellate tribunal, was appointed officiating chairperson from July 5. His tenure was subsequently extended by the Central Government in October.
The development also assumes significance against the backdrop of recent proceedings before the Supreme Court concerning the functioning of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). Justice Bindal’s appointment places him at the helm of the appellate tribunal dealing with some of the country’s most significant corporate insolvency, restructuring and competition law disputes.
Last week, the top court had raised concerns over the Ministry of Corporate Affairs’ control over the tribunals, with CJI Surya Kant remarking that the ministry had “completely hijacked” the institutions. “I know how contractors play their hands. They don’t care about judicial/technical members. Complete autonomy must be with presidents. They can take UPSC/SSC. The tribunal has been completely hijacked by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. That is impinging on the autonomy of the institution. That’s the problem. The ministry wants to have complete grip; that’s most unfortunate,” the CJI orally remarked while hearing a petition filed by contractual employees working in the NCLT, NCLAT. The bench comprising CJI Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana called for granting the presidents of the NCLT and NCLAT complete autonomy over appointments.
Born on April 16, 1961, in Ambala, Haryana, Justice Bindal began practising law before the Punjab and Haryana High Court in September 1985. He did his LL.B. from Kurukshetra University. He was elevated as a Judge of the same High Court on March 22, 2006, and subsequently served at the Jammu and Kashmir and Calcutta High Courts. He was appointed Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court in October 2021 before being elevated to the Supreme Court on February 13, 2023.