What is Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT)?

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What is Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT)?

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CAT full form in law is Central Administrative Tribunal. It is a specialized judicial body in India that deals with matters relating to the recruitment and service conditions of public servants under the central government. In this blog post, we shall provide our readers with an in-depth understanding about what the Central Administrative Tribunal is.

About Central Administrative Tribunal

The Central Administrative Tribunal, abbreviated as CAT, is a specialized judicial body established in 1985 under Article 323-A of the Constitution of India and the Administrative Tribunals Act 1985. It is tasked with adjudicating disputes related to the recruitment and service conditions of public servants employed by the Union government and other authorities under its control. The tribunal consists of a Chairman - who is either a sitting or retired High Court Judge, and includes both Administrative and Judicial Members who are selected for their years of expertise in relevant fields. 

CAT functions through 17 regular benches and 21 circuit benches across the country, with the objective of delivering speedy and cost-effective justice to aggrieved public servants. While it is not bound by the Code of Civil Procedure, the tribunal follows principles of natural justice and holds contempt powers equivalent to those of a High Court. 

Its independence is maintained by ensuring that the service conditions of its Chairman and Members are comparable to those of High Court Judges. Appeals against CAT’s decisions can be pursued in the respective High Court through writ petitions under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution.

List of CAT Benches

Here is the list of the benches of Central Administrative Tribunal across India:

S. No.

Bench

Jurisdiction of the Bench

1

Principal Bench (New Delhi)

National Capital Territory of Delhi

2

Ahmedabad Bench

State of Gujarat

3

Allahabad Bench

I. State of Uttar Pradesh excluding the Districts mentioned against Serial Number 4 under the jurisdiction of Lucknow Bench.

II. State of Uttaranchal

 

4

Lucknow Bench

Districts of Lucknow, Hardoi, Kheri, Rai Bareli, Sitapur, Unnao, Faizabad, Ambedkar Nagar, Baharaich, Shravasti, Barabanki, Gonda, Balrampur, Pratapgarh, Sultanpur in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

5

Bangalore Bench

State of Karnataka

6

Calcutta Bench

I. State of Sikkim

II. State of West Bengal
III. Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands

 

7

Chandigarh Bench

I. State of Jammu and Kashmir

II. State of Haryana
III. State of Himachal Pradesh
IV. State of Punjab
V. Union Territory of Chandigarh

 

8

Cuttack Bench

State of Odisha

9

Ernakulam Bench

I. State of Kerala

II. Union Territory of Lakshadweep

 

10

Guwahati Bench

I. State of Assam

II. State of Manipur
III. State of Meghalaya
IV. State of Nagaland
V. State of Tripura
VI. State of Arunachal Pradesh
VII. State of Mizoram

 

11

Hyderabad Bench

State of Andhra Pradesh

12

Jabalpur Bench

I. State of Madhya Pradesh

II. State of Chattisgarh

 

13

Jodhpur Bench

State of Rajasthan excluding the Districts mentioned against Number 14 under the jurisdiction of Jaipur Bench

14

Jaipur Bench

District of Ajmer, Alwar, Baran, Bharatpur, Bundi, Dausa, Dholpur, Jaipur, Jhalawar, Jhunjhunu, Kota, Sawai Madhopur, Sikar, Tonk and Karauli in the state of Rajasthan

15

Chennai Bench

I. State of Tamil Nadu

II. Union Territory of Pondicherry

 

16

Mumbai Bench

I. State of Maharashtra

II. State of Goa
III. Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli
IV. Union Territory of Daman and Diu

 

17

Patna Bench

I. State of Bihar

II. State Jharkhand

 

18

Jammu Bench

I. District of Doda,Jammu,Kathua,Kishtwar,Poonch,Rajouri,Ramban,Reasi,Samba,Udhampur in Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir

II. Leh District in Union Territory of Ladakh

 

19

Srinagar Bench

I. District of Anantnag,Bandipora,Baramulla,Budgam,Ganderbal,Kulgam,Kupwara,Pulwama,Shopiam,Srinagar in Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir

II. Kargil District in Union Territory of Ladakh

 

 

Composition of CAT

The Central Administrative Tribunal’s composition is as follows:

Can you Challenge CAT’s Decision?

Yes, CAT’s decision can be challenged in the High Court. You must do this by submitting a writ petition in accordance with Articles 226 and 227 of the Indian Constitution. The writ petition guarantees a check on the High Court's decisions and permits judicial review of CAT findings. 

Conclusion

CAT full form in law is the Central Administrative Tribunal. It is one of the key tribunals of the Indian judicial system. CAT mainly deals with cases related to the recruitment, conditions of service and other service-related disputes of public servants. The Central Administrative Tribunal comprises a chairman, judicial members and administrative members. Decisions of CAT can be challenged in the High Court through a writ petition in accordance with Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. Explain the composition of the Central Administrative Tribunal.

A. The Central Administrative Tribunal consists of 1 Chairman, 34 Judicial Members and 35 Administrative Members.

Q2. What is the full form of CAT?

A. In law, the full form of CAT is the Central Administrative Tribunal. 

Q3. Who is the Chairman of CAT?

A. As of May 2025, the Chairman of CAT is Hon'ble Sh. Justice Ranjit Vasantrao More, who is the retired Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court.

Q4. How many judicial members are there in CAT?

A. CAT has a total of 34 judicial members.

Q5. How many administrative members are there in CAT?

A. CAT has 35 administrative members in total.

Q6. Where is the Principal Bench of CAT?

A. The Principal Bench of CAT is in New Delhi, India.

Q7. How can I challenge the decisions of the CAT?

A. You can challenge the decisions of the CAT in the High Court. For this, you need to file a writ petition under Articles 226 and 227 of the Indian Constitution.

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