The Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunal at Chennai was established by Government of India vide Gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Finance on 17th February, 2000 to hear and adjudicate on appeals preferred against the judicial orders passed by the Presiding Officers of various Debt Recovery Tribunals functioning in the Southern region in India.

It was constituted by the Government under Section 8 of The Recovery of Debts Due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993. This Tribunal is also the second court of appeal in respect of cases filed under The Securitisation and  Reconstruction  of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002.

The Tribunal is headquartered at Chennai in the state of Tamil Nadu and functions under the administrative control of the Banking Division, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, New Delhi.