Section 30 of the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985: Tribunal Proceedings Are Judicial Proceedings
Section 30 of the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985 declares that proceedings before an Administrative Tribunal are deemed to be judicial proceedings for specified criminal-law purposes. This gives formal legal consequences to false evidence, corrupt or malicious judicial acts by a public servant, and intentional insult or interruption during a judicial proceeding.
Section 30: Proceedings before a Tribunal to be judicial proceedings
Statutory text:
All proceedings before a Tribunal shall be deemed to be judicial proceedings within the meaning of sections 193, 219 and 228 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860).
The section creates a legal deeming rule. For the purposes identified in the provision, a proceeding before the Tribunal is treated as a judicial proceeding even though the Central Administrative Tribunal is a specialized tribunal rather than an ordinary civil court.
What does Section 30 mean?
Section 30 is intended to protect the integrity and orderly conduct of Tribunal proceedings. It links proceedings before the Tribunal with criminal-law provisions dealing with false evidence, improper conduct by a public servant in a judicial proceeding, and intentional insult or interruption of a public servant while sitting in a judicial proceeding.
The deeming provision is important because evidence, statements, orders and conduct before the Tribunal are not treated as merely administrative acts. The proceeding has the character of a judicial proceeding for the specified penal consequences.
IPC references in Section 30 and the corresponding BNS provisions
The present text of Section 30 of the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985 continues to refer expressly to Sections 193, 219 and 228 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. The Indian Penal Code was repealed by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 with effect from 1 July 2024. The corresponding BNS provisions are set out below for current legal reference.
| Reference in Section 30 | Subject | Corresponding BNS provision |
|---|---|---|
| IPC Section 193 | Punishment for false evidence | BNS Section 229 |
| IPC Section 219 | Public servant in judicial proceeding corruptly making a report, order, verdict or decision contrary to law | BNS Section 257 |
| IPC Section 228 | Intentional insult or interruption to a public servant sitting in a judicial proceeding | BNS Section 267 |
Current-law note: The statutory wording of Section 30 should be quoted as it appears in the Administrative Tribunals Act. For conduct governed by the criminal law after 1 July 2024, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and its applicable savings and transitional provisions should also be checked before citing a penal section in pleadings or proceedings.
IPC Section 193 / BNS Section 229: False evidence
This provision concerns punishment for intentionally giving false evidence, or fabricating false evidence for use in a judicial proceeding. Because Section 30 treats Tribunal proceedings as judicial proceedings for this purpose, false evidence in such proceedings may attract the relevant criminal-law consequences.
IPC Section 219 / BNS Section 257: Corrupt or malicious judicial act by a public servant
This provision addresses a public servant who, corruptly or maliciously, makes or pronounces in a judicial proceeding a report, order, verdict or decision known to be contrary to law.
IPC Section 228 / BNS Section 267: Intentional insult or interruption
This provision concerns intentional insult or interruption to a public servant while that public servant is sitting in a judicial proceeding. Its purpose is to protect the orderly functioning and authority of the proceeding.
Practical effect of Section 30 in CAT proceedings
In practical terms, Section 30 means that:
- statements and evidence before the Tribunal carry consequences associated with a judicial proceeding;
- deliberate false evidence may attract penal consequences under the applicable criminal law;
- specified corrupt or malicious acts by a public servant in the course of a judicial proceeding are covered by the relevant penal provision; and
- intentional insult or interruption during a judicial proceeding may also attract criminal-law consequences.
Section 30 should also be read with the wider scheme of the Administrative Tribunals Act. In particular, Section 22 deals with the procedure and powers of Tribunals, while Section 17 deals with the Tribunal's power in respect of contempt. These provisions operate in their own fields and should not be treated as interchangeable with Section 30.
Official legal resources
For authoritative verification, consult the official Government sources linked in the right-hand resource panel, including India Code for the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985 and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Central Administrative Tribunal website for Tribunal information and e-filing services.
Disclaimer: This page is a general legal information resource. Statutory text, amendments, notifications, procedural rules and the law applicable to the facts of a particular case should be verified from official sources before filing or relying on any provision.