Chief secretaries from 18 states and union territories convened at the Supreme Court on Tuesday to address allegations of non-compliance with the Second National Judicial Pay Commission’s (SNJPC) directives concerning the disbursement of pension arrears and other retirement benefits to judicial officers.
During the session, the Court evaluated compliance affidavits from several regions, including Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Meghalaya, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Kerala, and Delhi. Notably, the Court resolved to close proceedings against these states and territories after confirming their adherence to the SNJPC recommendations.
The bench, led by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, highlighted that chief and finance secretaries from states that have fulfilled the Court’s directives are no longer required to appear. “There is no pleasure in summoning the chief and finance secretaries of the states, but there has been a consistent absence of state counsels during the hearings,” the bench remarked.
This judicial scrutiny follows the court’s summons to top bureaucrats from a list of regions including Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, and others. The necessity for their presence was prompted by concerns raised by senior lawyer K Parmeswar, serving as amicus curiae, regarding ongoing non-compliance despite multiple orders and extended deadlines.
The All India Judges Association (AIJA) continues to champion the implementation of welfare measures for current and retired judicial officers, reflecting an ongoing commitment to safeguarding judicial welfare standards across the nation. T
