Judicial Transparency Of Indian Tribunals In The Digital Era Of Legal Disclosure
- IJLLR Journal
- Oct 9
- 1 min read
Swetha G., LL.M. in International Law and Organisation, Assistant Professor at Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education
ABSTRACT
Judicial transparency is a constitutional cornerstone that reinforces democracy, accountability, and public trust in the rule of law. While India’s higher judiciary has embraced digitisation through cause lists, online judgments, and the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG), tribunals the specialised adjudicatory bodies established under Articles 323A and 323B of the Constitution display uneven progress in disclosure and digital accessibility. Some tribunals, notably the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), supported by the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI), have pioneered statistical reporting and performance tracking. Others, however, either disclose only limited aggregated figures or provide no structured data at all, leaving their functioning opaque and difficult to assess. This disparity underscores the absence of a uniform framework for tribunal transparency in India. Drawing from global best practices in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Singapore, the paper argues for the establishment of a National Tribunal Data Grid, standardised reporting templates, and technological integration to ensure consistency across all tribunals. Such reforms would not only enhance accountability and predictability but also enable data- driven legal research, policymaking, and efficient justice delivery. Ultimately, transparency in tribunals must be recognised as a constitutional obligation rather than an administrative choice, essential to the credibility and future readiness of India’s justice system.
Keywords: Judicial transparency, Indian tribunals, Digital Disclosure, National Tribunal Data Grid (NTDG), Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI), NCLT, NJDG, accountability, rule of law, data driven justice.
