SC summons CS, finance secy of defaulting states for non-compliance

The Supreme Court summoned the chief and finance secretaries of several states and Union Territories on Thursday for failing to comply with the Second National Judicial Pay Commission (SNJPC) recommendations regarding the payment of pension arrears and other retirement benefits to judicial officers.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, Justice J B Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra expressed strong displeasure over the non-compliance. The bench warned that it would ensure compliance through more stringent measures if necessary. “We know how to extract compliance now,” the Chief Justice remarked. “We are not sending them to jail, but let them be here, and then an affidavit will be submitted.

Let them be personally present now,” he said.

Despite seven opportunities being granted to states for compliance, several remain in default. The court’s directive mandates that the chief and finance secretaries of the non-compliant states and UTs must appear personally before it on August 23.