Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal appointed NCLT President by Centre
Synopsis
The Centre has named retired Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal as the new NCLT President, succeeding Justice Ramalingam Sudhakar. The appointment, cleared by the Cabinet's Appointments Committee, carries a five-year tenure and places a seasoned jurist with deep government litigation experience at the helm of India's key corporate disputes tribunal.
Key Takeaways
Justice (Retd.) Anupinder Singh Grewal appointed as NCLT President by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet on 30 April .
Tenure is five years from the date of assumption of charge, or until age 67 , whichever is earlier.
He succeeds Justice Ramalingam Sudhakar , who served as NCLT President from 1 November 2021 .
Justice Grewal was elevated to the Punjab and Haryana High Court as Additional Judge on 25 September 2014 and became a permanent judge of the Rajasthan High Court in May 2016 .
The NCLT adjudicates corporate disputes under the Companies Act and insolvency proceedings under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) .
The Centre has approved the appointment of Justice (Retd.) Anupinder Singh Grewal, former judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, as President of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), according to an official notification issued on 30 April by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT). The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet cleared the Ministry of Corporate Affairs' proposal for the appointment.
Terms of the Appointment
As per the official notification, Justice Grewal has been appointed to the post in the pay scale of ₹80,000 (fixed) (pre-revised), for a period of five years with effect from the date of assumption of charge, or till attaining the age of 67 years, whichever is earlier. The notification stated verbatim:
Point of View
But the tribunal faces a more pressing challenge than leadership continuity — a mounting backlog of insolvency and corporate dispute cases that has drawn repeated criticism from the Supreme Court. Justice Grewal's experience as Punjab government counsel and later as a bench judge gives him procedural credibility, but the NCLT's structural bottlenecks — understaffing, bench vacancies, and procedural delays — will test any incoming president far more than their judicial pedigree. The real question is whether this appointment comes with a mandate to accelerate case resolution or is simply a housekeeping exercise filling a vacancy. India's insolvency resolution timelines remain well above the IBC's original 270-day target, and the NCLT sits at the centre of that failure.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the new NCLT President?
Justice (Retd.) Anupinder Singh Grewal, a former judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, has been appointed as the new President of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). The appointment was cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet on 30 April.
What are the terms of Justice Grewal's appointment as NCLT President?
Justice Grewal has been appointed for a period of five years from the date he assumes charge, or until he attains the age of 67 years, whichever is earlier. His pay scale is fixed at ₹80,000 (pre-revised).
Who did Justice Grewal succeed as NCLT President?
Justice Grewal succeeds Justice Ramalingam Sudhakar, who had served as NCLT President with effect from 1 November 2021 and demitted office earlier in 2025.
What does the NCLT do?
The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) is the primary adjudicatory body for corporate disputes in India. It handles matters under the Companies Act and insolvency proceedings under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC).
What is Justice Grewal's professional background?
Justice Grewal began legal practice at the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 1992 and held several senior government law positions including Additional Advocate General for Punjab. He was elevated as Additional Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on 25 September 2014, served at the Rajasthan High Court, and returned to the Punjab and Haryana High Court in October 2016.
