1. Short title, extent and commencement.—(1) This Act may be called the Railway Claims
Tribunal Act, 1987.
(2) It extends to the whole of India.
(3) It shall come into force on such date2
as the Central Government may, by notification, appoint.
2. Definitions.—In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—
(a) “application” means an application made under section 16;
(b) “appointed day” means the date with effect from which the Claims Tribunal is established
under section 3;
(c) “Bench” means a Bench of the Claims Tribunal;
(d) “Chairman” means the Chairman of the Claims Tribunal;
(e) “Claims Tribunal” means the Railway Claims Tribunal established under section 3;
(f) “Judicial Member” means a Member of the Claims Tribunal appointed as such under this Act,
and includes the Chairman or Vice-Chairman who possesses any of the qualifications specified in
sub-section (3) of section 5;
(g) “Member” means a Member (whether Judicial or Technical) of the Claims Tribunal, and
includes the Chairman and Vice-Chairman;
(h) “notification” means a notification published in the Official Gazette;
(i) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules;
(j) “Railways Act” means the Indian Railways Act, 1890 (9 of 1890);
(k) “rules” means rules made under this Act;
(l) “Technical Member” means a Member of the Claims Tribunal who is not a Judicial Member,
and includes the Chairman or a Vice-Chairman who possesses any of the qualifications specified in
sub-section (4) of section 5;
(m) “Vice-Chairman” means a Vice-Chairman of the Claims Tribunal.
Explanation.—References to the Vice-Chairman in this Act shall be construed as references to
each of the Vice-Chairman;
1. Ins. by Act 28 of 1994, s. 7 (w.e.f. 1-8-1994).
2. 8th November, 1989, vide notification No. S.O. 783(E), dated 5th October, 1989, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II,
sec, 3(ii).
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1
[(n) “untoward incident” shall have the meaning assigned to it in clause (c) of section 123 of the
Railways Act, 1989;]
2
[(o)] words and expressions used and not defined in this Act but defined in the Railways Act or
the rules made thereunder shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in that Act or the
said rules.