Section 16 of the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985: Jurisdiction, Powers and Authority of a Joint Administrative Tribunal

Section 16 of the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985 deals with the jurisdiction, powers and authority of a Joint Administrative Tribunal constituted for two or more States. The provision ensures that one Joint Administrative Tribunal can exercise, for each participating State, the same jurisdiction and authority that the separate State Administrative Tribunal for that State could exercise under the Act.

Updated: 14 September 2026

Text and Meaning of Section 16

Section 16 - Jurisdiction, powers and authority of a Joint Administrative Tribunal A Joint Administrative Tribunal for two or more States shall exercise all the jurisdiction, powers and authority exercisable by the Administrative Tribunals for such States.

In practical terms, Section 16 does not create a separate or narrower class of service jurisdiction. Instead, it places a Joint Administrative Tribunal in the position of the State Administrative Tribunals that would otherwise have exercised jurisdiction for the participating States. Its authority therefore depends on the jurisdiction that the Act confers upon the State Administrative Tribunals concerned.

What is a Joint Administrative Tribunal?

Under the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985, two or more States may have a Joint Administrative Tribunal instead of separate State Administrative Tribunals. The expression "Administrative Tribunal", in relation to a State, includes the Administrative Tribunal for that State or, where applicable, the Joint Administrative Tribunal for that State and one or more other States.

Section 16 is the operative jurisdiction provision for such a joint body. It makes clear that combining the tribunal structure of two or more States does not, merely by reason of the joint arrangement, reduce the substantive jurisdiction available for service matters falling within the Act.

Scope of Jurisdiction under Section 16

A Joint Administrative Tribunal may exercise the jurisdiction, powers and authority that are exercisable by the State Administrative Tribunals of the participating States. The provision should therefore be read with the other jurisdictional and procedural provisions of the Act, including the provisions relating to State Administrative Tribunals and applications before Tribunals.

Two or more States: Section 16 applies where a Joint Administrative Tribunal has been established for more than one State.
Equivalent authority: The Joint Administrative Tribunal exercises the authority that the respective State Administrative Tribunals could exercise.
Service matters: The jurisdiction remains tied to the service matters and persons brought within the scope of the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985.
No enlargement beyond the Act: Section 16 transfers the relevant State Tribunal jurisdiction to the Joint Administrative Tribunal; it does not independently create jurisdiction outside the Act.

Relationship with Sections 15, 17, 18 and 19

Section 15 - State Administrative Tribunals

Section 15 deals with the jurisdiction, powers and authority of State Administrative Tribunals. Section 16 adopts that State-level jurisdictional framework for a Joint Administrative Tribunal serving the participating States.

Section 17 - Contempt

Section 17 confers contempt jurisdiction on a Tribunal. This applies to a Joint Administrative Tribunal as a Tribunal constituted under the Act.

Section 18 - Distribution of Business

Section 18 concerns distribution of business among Benches where Benches of a Tribunal are constituted.

Section 19 - Applications to Tribunals

Section 19 provides the general statutory route for an aggrieved person to make an application to the Tribunal in a matter falling within its jurisdiction, subject to the other provisions of the Act.

Constitutional Background

The Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985 was enacted pursuant to Article 323A of the Constitution of India to provide for adjudication of specified disputes and complaints relating to recruitment and conditions of service in public employment. Section 16 forms part of Chapter III of the Act, which deals with the jurisdiction, powers and authority of Tribunals.

Important: Section 16 is a short enabling jurisdiction provision. In an actual service dispute, the maintainability and forum must be determined by reading it with the applicable provisions of the Administrative Tribunals Act, relevant notifications and the jurisdiction assigned to the concerned Tribunal or Bench.

Official Legal Resources

The current central statute may be checked on India Code - Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985. Information about the Central Administrative Tribunal, its Benches, filing facilities and official resources is available on the Central Administrative Tribunal official portal.