New Delhi: Taking a tough stand on non-compliance of its directions, the Supreme Court on Thursday asked the chief secretaries of 18 states and union territories to appear in person and explain why they have not implemented the recommendations of the second National Judicial Pay Commission (SNJPC) on payment of pension arrears and retirement benefits to judicial officers.

The Chief Justice said this

Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said, I can see that there has been no concrete compliance. He has to appear before us in person or we will issue a non-bailable warrant against him. The other judges on the bench hearing the case include Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Mishra.

Top bureaucrats from Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Jharkhand, Kerala, Bihar, Goa, Haryana and Odisha will have to appear in person before the Supreme Court on August 27, the next date of hearing.

The apex court's direction came after senior advocate K Parameshwaran, assisting the court as amicus curiae, told the bench that despite several orders and time being granted, 18 states and Union Territories have not fully complied with the SNJPC recommendations till date.