Justice Rajesh Bindal, who retired from the Supreme Court of India on 15 April 2026, has been appointed Chairperson of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT). The appointment was reported on 5 November 2026, and Justice Bindal confirmed it to the press. Reports say the term is five years.
The post had no regular head for four months. Justice Ashok Bhushan completed his term as Chairperson on 4 July 2026. Justice Yogesh Khanna, Member (Judicial), has since been the officiating Chairperson.
How the NCLAT came to be without a regular head
- 4 July 2026: Justice Ashok Bhushan’s term as Chairperson ends.
- 8 July 2026: The Ministry of Corporate Affairs notifies Justice Yogesh Khanna as officiating Chairperson from 5 July 2026, for three months or until a regular Chairperson is appointed (S.O. 3722(E)).
- October 2026: The Centre extends Justice Khanna’s officiating charge.
- 5 November 2026: Justice Rajesh Bindal’s appointment as regular Chairperson is reported.
Who is Justice Rajesh Bindal
Justice Bindal spent twelve years on the Punjab and Haryana High Court before serving as Chief Justice of three High Courts and then as a judge of the Supreme Court.
- 2006: Elevated as a Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
- 2018: Transferred to the Jammu and Kashmir High Court; Acting Chief Justice in December 2020.
- January 2021: Transferred to the Calcutta High Court; Acting Chief Justice from April 2021.
- 11 October 2021: Sworn in as Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court.
- 13 February 2023: Elevated to the Supreme Court of India.
- 15 April 2026: Retired from the Supreme Court.
After retirement, he was named Emeritus Professor at the National Forensic Sciences University.
What the NCLAT does
The NCLAT is constituted under Section 410 of the Companies Act, 2013. It hears appeals against orders of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) under the Companies Act and under Section 61 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016. It also hears appeals against orders of the Competition Commission of India under Section 53A of the Competition Act, 2002. Its Principal Bench sits in New Delhi, with a bench at Chennai.
A regular Chairperson matters because the NCLAT is the last stop before the Supreme Court in most insolvency matters. Constituting benches and listing appeals depend on the Chairperson.
Official documents and sources
- Gazette notification S.O. 3722(E) dated 8 July 2026: Justice Yogesh Khanna as officiating Chairperson (PDF)
- LiveLaw report on Justice Bindal’s appointment
The Gazette notification of Justice Bindal’s appointment has not yet been published. We will add the link here once it is.