Ex-CJI Chandrachud responds to Supreme Court letter, says 'personal circumstances, ICU-setup for daughter caused overstay'

Former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud

Former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud has responded after the Supreme Court wrote to the Central government, highlighting the ex-CJI's overstay in his official bunglow, asking that it be vacated at the earliest.

Now, the ex-CJI has responded to the letter, citing personal circumstances for not being able to move out of his official residence. News18 reported that he said that an ICU-like setup has been done for his special needs daughter at home and that is why moving out of the bungalow has been delayed.

He said that Sanjiv Khanna, who preceded him as the Chief Justice of India, allowed him an extension until April and after that he asked for another extension from ex-CJI Khanna till June.

"But my daughters need a home with special needs. I have been roaming around since February. I have also tried service apartments and hotels, but none of them worked out," the ex-CJI was quoted by NDTV as saying.

Earlier today, it was reported that the Supreme Court administration has written to the Centre, urging it to ensure that the bungalow is vacated and returned to the court's housing pool.

Justice DY Chandrachud, who held office as the 50th Chief Justice of India from November 2022 to November 2024, continues to reside in the Type VIII bungalow nearly eight months after his retirement. Interestingly, his successors — Justices Sanjiv Khanna and the current CJI Bhushan R. Gavai — have both declined to shift into the official residence, choosing instead to stay in their previously allotted government bungalows.

In a highly unusual move, the Supreme Court formally requested the return of its top official residence from the retired CJI — an act rarely seen in judicial or bureaucratic circles. While post-retirement extensions and grace periods for vacating government housing are generally tolerated, the issuance of an official letter pressing for immediate action stands out as an unprecedented step at such a senior level.