New Delhi: The tenures of two senior technical members of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal are likely to be extended, according to official-level sources, in a move aimed at ensuring continuity in adjudication at one of India’s most important commercial appellate bodies.
Formal proposals have reportedly been moved for extending the service tenures of Barun Mitra, former Union Law Secretary, and Naresh Salecha, former Railway Board Member (Finance), both currently serving as Member (Technical) at NCLAT.
Extension Proposal for Two High-Profile Bureaucrats
Sources indicate that the proposal seeks continuation of both members beyond their current tenure window, subject to approval by the competent authority.
Both officers joined NCLAT in May 2022 as Technical Members, bringing with them extensive administrative and financial governance experience.
Their original appointment terms were fixed for:
• Four years, or
• Till attaining the age of 67 years, whichever occurred earlier
If approved, the extension would allow both members to continue participating in key insolvency, company law and competition-related appellate matters.
Barun Mitra: Former Union Law Secretary at NCLAT
Barun Mitra belongs to the 1987 batch of the Indian Administrative Service and has served at the highest levels of the Union government.
Before joining NCLAT, he served as:
• Former Secretary, Department of Justice
• Former Union Law Secretary
At NCLAT, he has been part of several significant benches handling insolvency and corporate restructuring matters. His legal-administrative background has made him one of the most prominent technical members at the tribunal.
Naresh Salecha: Finance Veteran with Railway Board Experience
Naresh Salecha is a 1984 batch Indian Railway Accounts Service officer and previously served as:
• Former Member (Finance), Railway Board
His financial and accounting expertise has been particularly relevant in complex insolvency and corporate financial disputes before NCLAT.
He continues to sit on important appellate benches dealing with company law and insolvency appeals.
Why the Extension Matters
The extension assumes importance because NCLAT currently handles a growing volume of appeals arising from:
• Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) cases
• National Company Law Tribunal appeals
• Competition law disputes
• Corporate restructuring matters
Technical Members play a critical role in these proceedings by providing domain expertise in finance, administration, regulation and public policy.
NCLAT’s Expanding Workload
The tribunal has witnessed a steady rise in major commercial litigation involving:
• Resolution plans
• Insolvency appeals
• Corporate debt disputes
• Competition Commission matters
Recent decisions involving major financial entities have underlined the importance of continuity within its benches.
Appointment Conditions and Tenure Framework
Under existing appointment rules, Technical Members at NCLAT are appointed for a fixed tenure, subject to age conditions prescribed under tribunal service rules.
Any extension requires formal approval through the central appointment mechanism after administrative processing.
Institutional Continuity at a Critical Stage
Given the increasing complexity of insolvency jurisprudence and large-value corporate disputes, continuation of experienced technical members is often viewed as institutionally important.
If cleared, the extension of Barun Mitra and Naresh Salecha would help preserve bench stability at a time when NCLAT remains central to India’s corporate dispute resolution architecture.
