AGARTALA: The Supreme Court on Thursday summoned Chief Secretary and Finance Secretary of Tripura along with 21 others including Northeastern states to appear in person on August 23 for non-compliance to Second National Judicial Pay Commission (SNJPC).
“The chief and finance secretaries must appear in person. Failure to comply will compel the court to initiate contempt proceedings,” SC warned.
Officials here said a bench led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra issued notice to West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana besides NE states for the same.
The Supreme Court has taken strong exception to the way states failed to honour the report on payment of arrears of pension and other retirement benefits to the judicial officers.
The SC bench in their observation said, “We are aware of the tactics employed to avoid compliance. Simply requesting the chief secretary’s presence for an affidavit submission won’t guarantee its filing. We have no intention of imprisonment, but their physical presence often expedites the affidavit process.”
The court highlighted that despite offering states seven opportunities to address the issue, full compliance remains elusive. Several states are now facing potential contempt charges, it added.
“The chief and finance secretaries must appear in person. Failure to comply will compel the court to initiate contempt proceedings,” SC warned.
Officials here said a bench led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra issued notice to West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana besides NE states for the same.
The Supreme Court has taken strong exception to the way states failed to honour the report on payment of arrears of pension and other retirement benefits to the judicial officers.
The SC bench in their observation said, “We are aware of the tactics employed to avoid compliance. Simply requesting the chief secretary’s presence for an affidavit submission won’t guarantee its filing. We have no intention of imprisonment, but their physical presence often expedites the affidavit process.”
The court highlighted that despite offering states seven opportunities to address the issue, full compliance remains elusive. Several states are now facing potential contempt charges, it added.
