Changes in required qualification of NGT members

The new tribunal rules have relaxed the criteria or qualification required to choose the NGT chairperson. As per the new tribunal rules, the chairperson need not be an existing or former Chief Justice of a High Court or a judge of the Supreme Court, which was earlier necessary. Now, it is possible to appoint anyone who is qualified to be a judge. A person who has been a judical or expert member for three years is also eligible for the post. In fact, anyone at all with “ability, integrity, standing and special knowledge of, and professional experience of not less than twenty-five years in law including five years' practical experience in the field of environment and forests“ is eligible.

The qualifications for judicial members have been relaxed as well. The prior requirement of being a judge of the Supreme Court has been done away with. In its place, anyone who has held a judical office in India for ten years, qualifies. Someone who is qualified to be a high court judge, but may not have held the office, is also eligible.

Contrary to this, the qualifications for expert members have been made stricter. The new rules stipulate that expert members must have 20 years of experience in relevant fields, instead of 15 years, as per older rules.