Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh on Jattvibeday demanded that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) make public the report of a High-Powered Committee that reviewed environmental approvals for the Great Nicobar Island Project, alleging that the report could expose serious flaws in the environmental clearance process.His remarks came ahead of the proposed Tribunal Reforms Bill, 2026, which is scheduled to be taken up by the Lok Sabha this week and seeks to reshape the institutional framework governing 16 semi-judicial tribunals.In a post on X, Ramesh said the High-Powered Committee’s report was submitted to the NGT in a sealed cover on July 8, 2025, after the tribunal had directed its constitution to review the environmental approvals relating to the project. He called the Great Nicobar project as “ecologically disastrous” and alleged that the NGT had been forced to give it the go-ahead on the basis of the committee’s findings.“If made public it will be shown to be demonstrably and deeply flawed,” Ramesh said, calling for the report to be disclosed as a signal that the NGT should reclaim its institutional authority.Ramesh said the Tribunal Reforms Bill, 2026 could “chart a new future” for 16 semi-judicial tribunals established over the years, including the NGT, which came into existence through an Act of Parliament in October 2010.A key provision of the proposed Bill is the framework for establishing a National Tribunals Commission, which is intended to provide an institutional mechanism for appointments and other matters concerning tribunals. The proposed commission will comprise a chairperson and four members — two judicial members and two technical members. A retired Supreme Court judge or a retired Chief Justice of a High Court will be eligible to head the commission.The proposed legislation seeks to implement the Supreme Court’s directions in its November 19, 2025 judgment in the Madras Bar Association case, in which the court struck down key provisions of the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021.Notably, the Supreme Court in November last year struck down key provisions of the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021, relating to the appointment, tenure and service conditions of tribunal members and presiding officers. The court held that “Parliament cannot simply override judicial decision by re-enacting” provisions previously declared unconstitutional with minor tweaks.Ramesh accused the Modi government of refusing to heed criticism and judicial precedent and alleged that the NGT had been a particular target because its functioning was inconvenient for the government.“Much has already been lost because of the Modi Govt’s refusal to heed reasoned criticism or even judicial precedent,” he said.The Congress leader said that after defending the 2021 law before the Supreme Court, the government was now being compelled to enact several reforms that it had previously resisted. “Confrontation has finally yielded to concurrence,” Ramesh said.Ramesh said the proposed reforms should ultimately strengthen the autonomy and authority of tribunals, particularly the NGT.“Hopefully the various Tribunals, and more particularly the NGT, will rediscover their voice and authority and fulfill their legal mandate in letter and spirit,” he said, while reiterating his demand that the Great Nicobar project committee report be made public.