Pranav B Prem

The Central Government has re-appointed former Supreme Court judge, Justice Ashok Bhushan, as the Chairperson of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT). The re-appointment will be effective from the date he assumes charge and will continue till July 4, 2026, when he attains the age of 70 years.

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According to an order issued on November 7, 2025, by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the Ministry of Corporate Affairs’ proposal for Justice Bhushan’s continuation as NCLAT Chairperson. The appointment order, signed by Kundan Nath, Under Secretary (EO-SM-II), specifies that Justice Bhushan will draw a fixed pay scale of ₹2,50,000 per month during his tenure.

Born on July 5, 1956, in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, Justice Bhushan pursued his graduation in Arts in 1975 and completed his law degree with First Division from Allahabad University in 1979. He enrolled with the Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh on April 6, 1979, and began practising on the civil and original side before the Allahabad High Court, representing several government bodies, including Allahabad University, State Mineral Development Corporation Ltd., and various municipal and banking institutions.

He was elected as the Senior Vice-President of the Allahabad High Court Bar Association, and his distinguished practice led to his elevation as a permanent judge of the Allahabad High Court on April 24, 2001. Justice Bhushan was later transferred to the Kerala High Court, where he took oath as a judge on July 10, 2014, became Acting Chief Justice on August 1, 2014, and was appointed as the Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court on March 26, 2015.

On May 13, 2016, Justice Bhushan was elevated to the Supreme Court of India, where he served with distinction until his retirement on July 4, 2021. During his tenure, he authored several significant judgments on constitutional and administrative law. In July 2020, he was appointed as Chairman of the Ravi Beas River Tribunal.

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Following his retirement, Justice Bhushan was appointed as the Chairperson of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal on November 8, 2021, succeeding Justice S.J. Mukhopadhaya. Since assuming office, he has presided over several landmark cases relating to corporate insolvency, banking, and competition law, shaping key aspects of India’s insolvency jurisprudence under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC).With his re-appointment, Justice Bhushan will continue to lead the NCLAT till July 2026, overseeing appellate matters arising under the IBC, the Companies Act, 2013, and the Competition Act, 2002.