Karnataka secretariat staff body opposes move to abolish KSAT

Bengaluru: The Karnataka Government Secretariat Employees Association has urged the Judicial Impact Assessment Committee not to abolish the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal (KSAT), cautioning that the move would overburden courts, delay justice for government staff, and go against employees’ interests.

In a letter, dated April 29, 2026, to Justice Umesh M Adiga, the Committee chairman, the association recalled that the Centre had set up the Tribunal in Bengaluru through a notification, dated Oct 17, 1986, to resolve rights disputes between government employees and departments, and ensure judicial supervision. Later branches were set up in Belagavi and Kalaburagi.

Seeking to continue the Tribunal in the “interest” of the employees, the association noted that the tribunal was functioning “successfully” and currently about 6,000 cases were pending in Bengaluru, Belagavi and Kalaburagi regions and 10,000 cases pending in courts.

“If Tribunal is abolished, it will put additional pressure on the judicial system and delay resolution. Also, it would force all service matters to the Karnataka Tribunal, increasing pressure on human resources and the judiciary, and raise pendency in courts, said the association adding that "administrative instability" due to repeated changes in government was harming the staff’s rights and deteriorating living standards.

Citing three Supreme Court judgements - Ramachandran Shankar Deodhar Vs State of Maharashtra (1973 INSC 216); S P Sampath Kumar Vs Union of India (1986 INSC 259), and L Chandra Kumar Vs Union of India (1994 INSC 572), the association argued the Article 323A gave special status to administrative tribunals and urged the government to take necessary steps to enhance the performance instead of scrapping KSAT.