Statutory, Regulatory and Quasi-Judicial Bodies
Statutory, regulatory and quasi-judicial bodies for UPSC: NHRC, CVC, CBI, Lokpal, national commissions, sector regulators and tribunals under Articles 323A and 323B.
SyllabusGS II · Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies
Most of India’s watchdogs are not in the Constitution at all. They are created by Acts of Parliament (statutory bodies), given rule-making and enforcement powers over a sector (regulators), or vested with powers to decide disputes like a court (quasi-judicial bodies). Their independence depends on the statute — which Parliament can amend — so their design is a recurring Mains theme.
What UPSC asks
- Prelims: parent Acts and years, composition and selection committees (NHRC, CVC, Lokpal, CBI Director), tenure, ex officio members, and which bodies are statutory vs constitutional vs executive.
- Mains GS II: independence and accountability of regulators, effectiveness of the Lokpal and NHRC, the CBI’s legal basis and State consent, and the “tribunalisation” of justice.
Key sub-topics
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Rights bodies | NHRC and SHRCs, NCW, NCM, NCPCR |
| Integrity institutions | CVC, CBI, Lokpal and Lokayuktas |
| Economic regulators | RBI, SEBI, IRDAI, PFRDA, TRAI, CCI, FSSAI |
| Quasi-judicial bodies | Tribunals (Articles 323A, 323B), NGT, Consumer Commissions |
| Executive bodies | NITI Aayog (for contrast) |
Read the main note, Statutory, Regulatory and Quasi-Judicial Bodies, then the quick revision sheet and the practice questions. For bodies created by the Constitution itself, see Constitutional Bodies.