Q.What is quasi judicial body? Explain with the help of concrete examples.

Body Analysis

Quasi Judicial Bodies

• Powers and Functions: These bodies have powers to summon, hear parties, and pass judgments or decisions on disputes within their specific jurisdiction. However, they do not follow full legal procedures as regular courts do.
• Key Features:
  • They act like courts but are limited to specific domains such as taxation, administrative issues, or regulatory affairs.
  • They follow natural justice principles, like providing a fair hearing to both parties.
• Examples:
  • National Human Rights Commission (NHRC): Investigates human rights violations, summons witnesses, and recommends actions but does not have enforcement power like a court.
  • Central Information Commission (CIC): Resolves disputes under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, ensuring transparency in government functions.
  • Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT): Hears appeals on income tax disputes, functioning like a court but specifically for tax matters.
  • National Green Tribunal (NGT): Deals with environmental issues and can impose penalties, ensuring the enforcement of environmental laws.
• Difference from Judicial Bodies: Unlike courts, quasi-judicial bodies have limited jurisdiction and typically handle specific types of cases (e.g., regulatory, administrative). Their procedures are more flexible and less formal than those in judicial courts.
• Judicial Review: The decisions made by quasi-judicial bodies can be reviewed by higher courts if there are legal errors or violations of constitutional rights, ensuring checks and balances.
• Importance: These bodies help reduce the burden on courts by handling specialized disputes, allowing faster resolution of cases in areas like tax, human rights, and environmental issues.