CESTAT to get new Technical Members
WE understand that Government has cleared five Commissioners - PR Chandrasekharan, Mathew John, P. Babu, Sahab Singh and AK Prasad for appointment as Technical Members of the CESTAT. They all have over eight years experience as Commissioner and two of them are Law Graduates. It is a great news for CESTAT that vacancies are being filled up. At least three Benches have no Technical Members and they are being imported from other Benches, which would certainly cause inconvenience and delay in all the benches. The Mumbai Bench is still hearing 2003 cases. Maybe the Government should consider creating new Benches at Cochin, Hyderabad, Bhubaneswar, Bhopal, Guwahati, Mumbai and Delhi. The ITAT has over 50 Benches and 100 Members. CESTAT should have at least 28 Benches and 60 Members, covering all major States having High Courts.
It seems one of the selected Members has filed a case in CAT regarding seniority and if he joins CESTAT, the case would become infructious and that is good news for those waiting to become Chief Commissioners.