In a rare decision, the Supreme Court administration has written a letter to the Central government seeking urgent vacation of the Chief Justice of India’s official residence on the grounds that its current occupant, former CJI DY Chandrachud, has stayed there beyond the permissible limit.
As per a leading English daily, the letter was written on July 1 by an Apex Court official to the Secretary to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), seeking immediate possession of Bungalow No. 5 on Krishna Menon Marg in Lutyens’ Delhi, a type VIII house, designated for India’s sitting CJI.
It said former CJI Chandrachud retired on November 10, 2024. In December 2024, he sought permission to retain the bungalow from the then CJI Sanjiv Khanna, who agreed to the request.
The MoHUA then permitted Justice Chandrachud to retain the accommodation from December 11, 2024, to April 30, 2025, on payment of licence fees of Rs 5,430 per month. This was conveyed by the Ministry to the Supreme Court via a letter dated February 13, 2025, it noted.
It said Justice Chandrachud subsequently made an oral request to the CJI to continue residing at the same premises until May 31, 2025, which was granted with a caveat that no further extension would be allowed as other judges, elevated in the interim, were living in guest houses or waiting for a bungalow allotment.
The Apex Court pointed out that since the permission to retain the official bungalow expired on May 31, 2025, the house should be vacated immediately and returned to the court’s housing pool.
Citing Rule 3B of the 2022 Rules, which permitted a retired Chief Justice to retain Type VII accommodation for a maximum of six months post-retirement, the letter said that in case of Justice Chandrachud, this period also expired on May 10, 2025.
On his part, former CJI Chandrachud told the newspaper that the he was allotted an accommodation by the government on rent and the same was currently under renovation.
Justice Chandrachud said he informed the Supreme Court about this allotment, making it clear that he would shift the very next day the house was ready.
The former CJI said that the delay was partly caused due to the special needs required for his two daughters.
Justice Chandrachud revealed that both his daughters had severe comorbidities and genetic problems, particularly nemaline myopathy, for which they were being treated by specialists at AIIMS.
It took him time to search for a house that would address the special needs of his daughters. The issue was already discussed with the judges and officers in the Supreme Court, he added.
The former CJI maintained that the issue would soon be resolved and that he
Noting that he was completely cognisant of his responsibilities and obligations that came with occupying the highest judicial office, the former CJI said it was a matter of a few days before he shifted.
Justice Chandrachud said in the past, former CJIs have been allowed extended time to retain government accommodation post-retirement, often to facilitate transition or address personal exigencies.
He further cited an April 28 letter written to the then CJI Sanjiv Khanna, informing him that he was in the process of shortlisting accommodation, given the special needs of his daughters, seeking extension till June 30.
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