Statutory, Regulatory, and Quasi-Judicial Bodies in India

Statutory, regulatory, and quasi-judicial bodies are set up in a country with a motive to pay special attention to some of the issues that are being faced.

They work exclusively towards the development and the wellbeing of the sector that they have been assigned by the government of India. Learn more about the Regulatory Body in India.

NITI Aayog

National Institute for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) is a 65-year-old commission of India. It does not work like the planning commission and is different from that in many views. It works with the objective of fostering the cooperative brotherhood through support mechanisms and initiatives.

However, that is not the only objective of the NITI Aayog. Some of the other objectives of this commission are –

1. Paying special attention to the sections of the society that may be at risk or are more vulnerable to the risk of employed inappropriately.
2. Ensuring that the interests of national security are combined into economic strategy and policies.
3. Offering a platform for the resolution of the inter-departmental and inter-sectoral issues to increase the implementation of the agenda of development.

It is vital to understand the difference between Niti Aayog and a planning commission. Niti Aayog works by drawing wide expertise which makes it act as a think tank.

However, a planning commission draws expertise from limited people and serves as an extra-constitutional body. Where the planning commission follows a top-down approach, Niti Aayog follows a bottom-up approach to planning.

Niti Aayog does not hold the authority to allocate funds but the planning commission does.

RBI

RBI or the Reserve Bank of India is the central bank of the country. Some of the functions of the RBI include the issuance of the currency, sustaining monetary stability in India, operating the currency, and maintaining the country’s credit system.

he Reserve Bank of India established on 1st April 1935 under the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934. The bank was nationalized in the year 1949 and since then, it has been directly under the control of the Government of India.

Some of the main functions of RBI are as follows –

1. Monetary Functions

The bank keeps an eye on the monetary policies and ensures price stability in the market, nationally and internationally.

2. Developmental Functions

The central bank plays a role in promoting functions to support national objectives. The loans granted by the commercial banks to the small banks of the country based on the policies set by the Reserve Bank of India.

3. Managing Foreign Exchange

The bank manages the foreign exchange value as well as the external value of the rupee. With that, the Reserve Bank of India also promotes regular development and maintenance of the foreign exchange market in the country.

4. Issuing Currency

The central bank issues, destroys, or exchanges the currency if it is not fit for circulation in the country. It is responsible to make currency available to the public.

NHRC

National Human Rights Commission is one of the independent statutory bodies that was established in the year 1993 under the provisions of the Protection of Human Rights Act 1993. It was later amended in 2006. The headquarter of NHRC is located in the national capital, New Delhi.

The commission acts as a watchdog of the human rights of the citizens of the country. 10 December is observed as Human Rights day, every year, as it is the anniversary of UDHR or the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Some of the functions and powers of the NHRC are-

1. It has the authority to recommend the payments of damages or compensations.
2. The NHRC can grant interim relief as it has the powers of a civil court.
3. The commission conducts and promotes research in the field of human rights.
4. It investigates cases concerning the violation of human rights.
5. The commission also gets to interfere in the judicial proceedings of the matters relating to the violation of human rights.

The NHRC is a seven-member committee with a chairman at the top. And out of these seven members, three of them are supposed to be the ex-officio members.

The members and the chairman of this committee are appointed by the President. They are appointed for a period of five years or till they complete 70 years of age, whichever comes earlier.

SHRC

The State Human Rights Commission was formed under the Protection of Human Rights Act of 1993. The committee consists of a chairman and three members.

Some of the many functions of a state human rights commission are –

1. Visit institutions or jails that are under the state government to estimate the living or working conditions of the people there.
2. Conduct and promote research in the field of human rights.
3. Encourage and appreciate NGOs for their work in the field of human rights.
   Interfere in the proceedings of the court that deal with the cases under the human rights act.

CIC

The Central Information Commission was set up on 12th October 2005. It is headed by a Chief Information Commissioner and has 10 information commissioners.

And the commission serves for a period of 5 years. This commission plays a vital role in strengthening the democracy of the country and enhances governance.

Some of the roles of the Central Information Commission are-

1. Secure agreement of its decisions from any public authority.
2. This commission has the power to examine records that are under the control of the public authority. All such records are to be given to the Commission while the examination and nothing shall be reserved.
3. Order inquiry into matter but on reasonable grounds.

CVC

The Central Vigilance Commission is an institution that is free from any kind of executive authority. It is meant to monitor all the vigilance activities that come under the central government.

With that it also advises various authorities under the central government in planning, reviewing, executing, and reforming the vigilance work.

This commission was set up by the government back in the year 1964. But finally in 2003 that CVC was given the status of a statutory body by the Indian parliament. This commission does not work under anyone but is an independent body that is solely responsible to the parliament.

Some of the functions of CVC include –

1. Recommends appropriate actions for the complaints that it receives on corruption or the misuse of office.
2. It inquires into the offenses that have been committed under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
3. The commission prepares an annual report which presents the work done by the commission and also the failures that led to corruption.

CBI

The Central Bureau of Investigation is the primary investigating agency of India. It was established back in the year 1963 by the government of India in the view of investigating serious issues relating to the defense of the country.

The CBI handles cases relating to Anti-Corruption Crimes, economic crimes, special crimes, and Suo Moto cases. The bureau derives power to investigate from the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act of 1946. CBI is considered to be one of the best investigation agencies in the world.

Some of the functions of CBI are –

1. It is India’s representation for the correspondence with INTERPOL
2. Maintains crime statistics and disseminates criminal information.
3. Coordinates the activities of different state police forces and anti-corruption agencies.
4. Investigates crimes that are serious in nature and have national and international anatomy.
5. On the state government’s say, the CBI can take up a case that is of public importance.

Lokpal and Lokayuktas

These institutions are the statutory bodies that do not have a constitutional status. Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, 2013 granted the establishment of the Lokpal for the Union and Lokayukta for the States.

It is meant to perform the function of an ombudsman. It further inquires the allegations of corruption against the public functionaries and for other related matters. The institution of ombudsman was officially inaugurated in Sweden back in the year 1809.

The terms Lokpal and Lokayuktas were fabricated by Dr. L.M. Singhvi. In 2016, a Lokpal and Lokayuktas amendment bill passed by the parliament. The amendment enabled the member of the largest opposition party in the country to be a part of the selection committee.

Lokpal consists of eight members and a chairman at the top.

The jurisdiction and powers of the Lokpal are –

1. Power of confiscating assets, receipts, and benefits that arose or were procured by the means of corruption in some of the cases.
2. Authority of recommending transfer or suspending a public servant.
3. Authority to give directions in order to prevent the destruction of records.
4. Power to give directions to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

NCW

The National Commission for Women was set up in the year 1992, in order to protect the rights of the women in the country. It further provides them with equal and just opportunities to grow and live.

The committee consists of five members and a chairman. The commission holds all the powers as that of a civil court.

The functions of the National Commission for Women are-

1. It investigates and examines all the matters concerning the safeguards provided for women under the Constitution of the country.
2. Takes up the cases of the infringement of provisions of the Constitution and other laws concerning the women with relevant authorities.
3. Recommend the effective accomplishment of those safeguards for enhancing the conditions of the women in the country by the Union or any State.
4. It presents its reports to the central government in lieu of the work it did on working on the safeguards for the women.

NCBC

The National Commission for Backward Classes was provided a constitutional status under the 102nd Constitutional Act in 2018. Before this amendment, this commission was a statutory body which came directly under the control of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

Some of the functions of the NCBC are –

1. While trying a suite, it holds all the powers of a civil court.
2. The commission advises and participates in the socio-economic development of the socially and educationally backward classes of the country.
3. It presents its annual report to the President.
4. Investigates and interrogates the matters that concern the socially and educationally backward classes.

NCM

The National Commission for Minorities or NCM was set up under the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992. It aims to provide social justice to various minorities in the countries.

Some of the functions of the National Commission for Minorities include –

1. Taking up the matters related to the minorities that are recommended to them by the central government.
2. The NCM makes recommendations for effective implementation of the safeguards for the protection of the interests of the minorities.
3. Recommends ways to improve the problems that are faced by the minorities.
4. The NCM conducts surveys and research related to the matters of the minorities.

IRDA

Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority is an apex body. The purpose was to regulate and develop the insurance industry of the country. It is an autonomous body which came into existence under the insurance regulatory and development act of 1999. Its headquarter is in Hyderabad.

Some of the many functions of IRDA are –

1. It shall be concerned with protecting the rights of policyholders in the country.
2. Creates regulations to protect the interests of the policyholders in the country.
3. It provides registration certificates to the insurance companies in India.

SEBI

Security and Exchange Board of India is one of the Statutory Bodies of India. It came into existence on 12th April, 1992 under the provisions of the SEBI Act 1992.

The board is responsible to protect and regulate the interests of the investors. SEBI is headed by a chairman and has several members at the bottom. To look into the pressing issues, the board appoints committees.

Some of the functions of SEBI are –

1. Works towards prohibiting unfair and unjust trades.
2. Promotes and regulates self-regulatory organizations.
3. It functions to fulfill the requirements of the issuers, intermediaries, and investors.
4. It holds the authority to seek information like telephonic call records, in respect to a security transaction.

CCI

The Completion Commission of India is one of the Statutory bodies of the country. It is a competition regulator of the country which came into being in 2003 but became fully functional in the year 2009.

It works with an objective of promoting and sustaining competition in the markets and also protects and ensures the interests of the consumers and freedom of trade.

Some of the functions of CCI are –

1. Ensure that the benefit of the customers keeps maintained in the Indian Market.
2. It scrutinizes any foreign company that enters the Indian market as a merger or acquisition.
3. The commission undertakes the competition advocacy.
4. It is the antitrust ombudsman for the small organizations.
5. Ensures the effective and efficient utilization of the country’s resources.

TRAI

After the opening up of the telecommunication sector to the private sector, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) came into being. The commission was set up under the TRAI Act, 1997.

It works with an aim for creating a suitable environment for the growth of the telecommunication sector of the country.

Some of the functions and powers of the TRAI are –

1. The commission lays down and ensures a time period for providing local and long-distance circuits.
2. It ensures the compliance with license and revaluation.
3. It performs the financial functions entrusted to it by the central government.
4. Facilitates competition and also promotes efficiency in operations to promote the growth of the telecom services.
5. It monitors the quality of service and inspects the equipment being used in networks and the recommendations.

CERC

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission is a statutory body that functions with the quasi-judicial status under the electricity act of 2003. The commission was initially constituted on 24th July 1998.

It is made to rationalize the electricity tariffs, work towards transparent policies, and also promote environmentally friendly policies.

Some of the advisory functions of the CERC are –

1. Promote efficient and economic activities in the field of electricity.
2. Work on the matters that are referred to it by the state government.
3. Work towards promotion of investment in the field of electricity.
4. Formulation of the national electricity and the tariff policy.

AERB

The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board was set up back in 1983. It was constituted by the President under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962. The headquarters of the board are located in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

The board consists of a chairman, an ex officio member, and three other part-time members and secretary. The board receives advice from the Advisory Committee of Nuclear Safety (ACNS).

The mission of the Board is ensuring the use of ionizing nuclear and radiation energy in the country does not cause undue risk to the health and the environment of the people and the country.

GEAC

The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee works under the Ministry of Environment, forest, and climate change. It has the sole function of approving the cultivation of the genetically modified crops. It must also be noted that GEAC is not an autonomous body.

Thus, its approvals come under the MoEFCC. It does not practice any independent authority for research purposes.

PFRDA

The Pension Fund Regulatory Development Authority is an autonomous body which was set up back in 2003. It serves the purpose of developing and regulating pension funds in the country.

Pension funds refers to a fund that is provided in the name of retirement income and they are also major investors in various companies.

NGT

The National Green Tribunal was set up in 2010 to ensure effective and expeditious disposal of the cases that relate to the conservation and protection of forests and other natural resources. It also includes giving compensation for the damages and enforcing the legal rights relating to them.

UFRA

The Unified Financial Regulatory Agency has not got established yet. It has been put forward with the purpose of establishing one single body that will be responsible to oversee the insurance sector, pension funds, securities market, and commodities market.

At the moment we have different bodies for pensions, securities and commodities markets, etc.

Conclusion

It shall not be forgone that the statutory, regulatory, and quasi-judicial body play a major role in the working of a country. If all the bodies work seriously towards its goals, it will help the country rise as a whole.

The president shall keep a strict eye by demanding regular reports from these bodies and question them whenever needed.