Supreme Court Upholds Suspension of Debt Recovery Tribunal Officer

The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by a presiding officer of the Debts Recovery Tribunal (DRT) in Chandigarh, who challenged an extended suspension order. The officer, previously lauded for high case disposal rates, faced several complaints from the Bar Association, leading to his current suspension.

Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta handed down the ruling after the retired officer appealed against a July decision from the Delhi High Court. The officer's conduct, including allegations of proceeding ex-parte on multiple cases and clashes with lawyers, prompted backlash from the DRT Bar Association.

The tribunal officer became a controversial figure when he allegedly refused legal adjournments, prompting an inquiry and complaints to the Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunal. While the Punjab and Haryana High Courts criticized lawyer strikes, the division bench cited possible misconduct in its reports, leading to the suspension decision.

(With inputs from agencies.)