Muslims Underrepresented in India’s Tribunals, New Report Finds

Muslims Underrepresented in India’s Tribunals, New Report Finds
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A recent study highlights the underrepresentation of Muslims in India’s quasi-judicial tribunals, including top positions such as chairpersons, members, and senior officials. The findings come from Mohammed Abdul Mannan’s book, At the Bottom of the Ladder: State of the Indian Muslims, which examines Muslim participation across 150 key institutions.

The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), India’s oldest tribunal established in 1941, has had no Muslim chief or vice-president in its history. Out of 94 members, only three Muslims have served, while none of the current deputy and assistant registrars are Muslim. Historical data shows 16 Muslims served as members among 380 former members, with only one assistant registrar.

Other tribunals show similar patterns. The Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (ATE), established in 2005, has had nine chairpersons with none being Muslim and only one Muslim member in its history. The Appellate Tribunal under SAFEMA, NDPS, PMLA, PBPTA, and FEMA has never had a Muslim chairperson, with just one Muslim member recorded.

The Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) and Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) also report limited Muslim representation. For instance, CAT has 64 members at its principal bench, but only a handful have been Muslim, including former chairperson Justice Syed Rafat Alam. Its current chairperson and members include no Muslims.

Other tribunals, including CESTAT, DRTs/DRATs, NCLT/NCLAT, NGT, Railway Claims Tribunal, Securities Appellate Tribunal, and TDSAT, show very few Muslims in leadership or member roles, with several bodies having no Muslim representation at all.

Mannan’s research suggests this systemic underrepresentation spans decades and across multiple tribunals, reflecting broader concerns about minority access to senior administrative and judicial roles in India.