Question

Which of the following statements is/are correct about State Administrative Tribunals (SATs)?

i. SATs can only be established by the Central Government upon the request of State Governments.

ii. SATs exercise original jurisdiction over recruitment and service matters of state government employees.

iii. Joint Administrative Tribunals (JATs) can be established for two or more states.

iv. The Chairman and Members of SATs are appointed by the State Government.

v. SATs were introduced by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1976.

• A. Only i, ii, and iii
• B. Only ii and iii
• C. Only i and iv
• D. Only iii and v

Answer 1

Answer:

A. Only i, ii, and iii

State Administrative Tribunals (SATs) in India

• Establishment: SATs are established by the Central Government under Article 323A of the Constitution. This establishment is done upon a specific request from the concerned State Government(s). This means the initiative for setting up a SAT comes from the state, but the formal order is issued by the Centre.
• Jurisdiction: SATs have original jurisdiction over all matters relating to recruitment and conditions of service of persons appointed to public services and posts in connection with the affairs of the State. This covers a wide range of service-related disputes for state government employees.
• Joint Administrative Tribunals (JATs): The relevant law (Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985) provides for the possibility of establishing Joint Administrative Tribunals (JATs). These JATs can be set up to serve the needs of two or more states, pooling resources and administrative efforts for efficiency.
• Appointments: The Chairman and Members of SATs are appointed by the President of India, not the State Government. This is to ensure impartiality and independence from state-level political influence.
• Constitutional Basis: SATs were introduced by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1976, which amended the Constitution to include Article 323A for the creation of administrative tribunals.
• Exclusions: SATs generally do not cover matters related to the services of the Union Government or All India Services, which are handled by the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT).
• Supervisory Role of Courts: While SATs aim to provide a specialized forum, their decisions are subject to judicial review by the High Courts and the Supreme Court of India under Articles 226 and 136 of the Constitution, respectively.

Key Takeaways for Competitive Exams:

• Remember the distinction between SATs and CAT (Central Administrative Tribunal).
• Pay close attention to who establishes SATs (Central Govt.) and who appoints their members (President).
• The 42nd Amendment is crucial for the introduction of SATs.
• The possibility of JATs for multiple states is an important point to recall.