Former Supreme Court Judge Justice Rajesh Bindal Appointed NCLAT Chairperson
Former Supreme Court judge Justice Rajesh Bindal has been appointed Chairperson of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), marking a significant leadership change in India’s corporate law and insolvency adjudication framework. The appointment was reported on November 5, 2026, with further details emerging on November 6 and 7.
Justice Bindal’s appointment comes after the position remained under an interim arrangement following the completion of former NCLAT Chairperson Justice Ashok Bhushan’s tenure on July 4, 2026. Justice Yogesh Khanna, a judicial member of the tribunal, had subsequently taken charge as officiating Chairperson from July 5. His tenure was later extended by the Central Government in October.
Justice Rajesh Bindal retired from the Supreme Court of India on April 15, 2026, after serving as a Supreme Court judge for more than three years. He was elevated to the country’s highest court on February 13, 2023.
Born on April 16, 1961, in Ambala City, Haryana, Justice Bindal began his legal career in September 1985 at the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He was elevated as a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on March 22, 2006.
During his judicial career, he served in several important judicial positions, including at the Jammu and Kashmir High Court and the Calcutta High Court. He subsequently assumed office as Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court on October 11, 2021, before his elevation to the Supreme Court.
Justice Bindal has also contributed to several legal and institutional initiatives. He chaired a Supreme Court committee responsible for preparing guidelines concerning the reception, retrieval, authentication and preservation of electronic evidence. The committee submitted its report, including draft rules, in November 2018.
He also chaired a committee constituted by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development to examine the civil and legal aspects of international child abduction and inter-country removal and retention of children.
The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal is a specialised appellate judicial body established under the Companies Act, 2013. It hears appeals against orders passed by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and also exercises appellate jurisdiction over certain decisions involving the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India and the Competition Commission of India.
The tribunal plays an important role in resolving corporate disputes, insolvency proceedings, company law matters, mergers and competition-related appeals. Its decisions have significant implications for businesses, financial institutions, creditors, investors and corporate stakeholders.
Justice Bindal’s appointment comes at a time when the functioning and institutional autonomy of India’s company law tribunals have attracted attention. The Supreme Court recently raised concerns about the administrative control exercised by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs over the NCLT and NCLAT, highlighting the importance of institutional independence and the autonomy of tribunal leadership.
According to reports published by The Tribune on November 6, 2026, Justice Bindal has been appointed for a five-year tenure. His appointment is expected to bring a regular judicial leadership arrangement to the appellate tribunal after several months of officiating administration.
