Chief Secretaries Of Odisha, 17 Other States & UTs Appear In SC Over SNJPC Proposals

New Delhi: Chief Secretaries of Odisha and 17 other states and union territories appeared before Supreme Court on Tuesday on the alleged failure to execute recommendations made by the Second National Judicial Pay Commission (SNJPC) regarding payment of retirement benefits and arrears on pensions to judicial officers.

The apex court took note of compliance affidavits of states and union territories like Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Meghalaya, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Kerala and Delhi and ordered the closure of proceedings against them.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said the chief secretaries and finance secretaries of states which have complied with the top court’s directions on payment of arrears relating to pay, pension and allowance to judicial officers need not appear before the court any more.

Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja and Finance Secretary Saswat Mishra appeared before the bench for Odisha.

The Odisha government has directed the Government Treasury to clear 44 pending pension bills within three days, the state had apprised the apex court through an affidavit, sources said.

The Supreme Court ordered taking Odisha’s affidavit on record and halt the proceedings against the state government in this matter, the sources added.

The direction to the chief secretaries appear before the SC came after senior lawyer K Parmeswar, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae, told the bench that despite several orders and extension of time, 18 states and union territories had not complied with the SNJPC recommendations fully.

The All India Judges Association (AIJA) is seeking welfare programs and other measures put in place for retired judges and other judicial officials.