New Delhi, Jan. 9 -- The Supreme Court on Thursday pulled up several states and Union Territories for not disclosing information on private universities, as part of a sweeping audit ordered by the court two months ago, and warned of contempt proceedings against those unrepresented during the hearing.

A bench of justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and N V Anjaria said, "With regard to compliance, those states which have not filed an affidavit, let an explanation be filed by the chief secretary for not filing an affidavit without seeking any extension of time." These states included Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Odisha, Puducherry, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and West Bengal. States that agreed to file the affidavit by the ...