Tribunals and Contempt of Court: A Study

In a Social Welfare State, innumerable laws are enacted to give effect to various social welfare programmes. These laws which promote the advancement of society and welfare create a number of disputes among individuals inter-se as well between the individual and States. The regular courts established to deal with litigations will have neither the time nor the expertise to deal with the disputes, often of a complex nature involving technicalities. The Constitution has visualized such contingencies and provided for setting up of tribunals for settlement of disputes and adjudication of matters specified therein [1]. In Durga Shanker Mehta?s case, [2] the apex court elucidated the nature and scope of tribunals in these words, ?The expression ?Tribunal? as used in Art 136 of the Constitution, does not mean the same thing as ?court? but includes within its ambit, all adjudicating bodies, provided they are constituted by the State and invested with judicial powers, as distinguished from administrative or executive functions?.