Former Supreme Court judge Justice Rajesh Bindal was appointed chairperson of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) on Thursday, nearly four months after former apex court judge Justice Ashok Bhushan completed his tenure as head of the tribunal.
Justice Bindal, who retired from the Supreme Court on April 15, 2026, confirmed his appointment to legal news portal Bar & Bench. He had served as a judge of the country's highest court for over three years after his elevation in February 2023.
The appointment brings a regular chairperson to the appellate tribunal, which handles appeals arising from corporate insolvency proceedings, company law disputes and competition-related matters.
Justice Bhushan's tenure as NCLAT chairperson ended on July 4, following which Justice Yogesh Khanna, a judicial member of the tribunal, was appointed officiating chairperson with effect from July 5.
The Central government subsequently extended Justice Khanna's officiating tenure in October, pending the appointment of a regular chairperson.
๐๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ท๐๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฟ
Born on April 16, 1961, in Ambala, Haryana, Justice Bindal obtained his law degree from Kurukshetra University in 1985 and began practising before the Punjab and Haryana High Court in September that year.
He was elevated as a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on March 22, 2006.
During his judicial career, he served at the Jammu and Kashmir High Court and the Calcutta High Court, where he also discharged the responsibilities of acting chief justice.
Justice Bindal took oath as Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court on October 11, 2021, before being elevated to the Supreme Court on February 13, 2023.
His judicial career also included involvement in initiatives relating to electronic evidence, judicial administration and the use of technology in court processes.
๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ฟ๐ผ๐น๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฝ๐๐๐ฒ๐
The NCLAT serves as the appellate forum for decisions of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), including matters under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016, and the Companies Act, 2013.
It also hears appeals in competition law matters, making it an important institution in India's corporate regulatory and dispute resolution framework.
The tribunal deals with disputes involving insolvency resolution, liquidation, corporate restructuring, creditor claims and other commercial matters.
Justice Bindal's appointment comes amid continuing scrutiny of the functioning of company law tribunals, including concerns over infrastructure, staffing and delays in adjudicating cases.
The Supreme Court has recently examined issues concerning the institutional functioning of the NCLT and NCLAT.
The appointment is expected to provide continuity in the tribunal's leadership following the period under an officiating chairperson.
Details regarding Justice Bindal's tenure and the date on which he will formally assume charge were not immediately available.