Former CJI Chandrachud overstaying in official residence, SC writes to Centre

Justice Chandrachud, who served as the 50th CJI between November 2022 and November 2024, currently occupies the Type VIII bungalow nearly eight months after demitting office.

Mentioning that former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud has overstayed in the Chief Justice's official residence, 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, reported Hindustan Times.

Justice Chandrachud, who served as the 50th CJI between November 2022 and November 2024, currently occupies the Type VIII bungalow nearly eight months after demitting office. Two successive CJIs — Justices Sanjiv Khanna and the incumbent Bhushan R Gavai — chose not to move into the premises, opting instead to continue living in their previously allotted bungalows.

The letter marks a rare instance of formal intervention by the apex court to reclaim its highest official residence from a former occupant, and that too a former CJI. While informal extensions and grace periods post-retirement are not uncommon in the judiciary or bureaucracy, a letter seeking urgent action is unheard of at this level.

In its July 1 letter, the Supreme Court administration has urged the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to get the bungalow vacated immediately. "I am to request you to take the possession of Bungalow No. 5, Krishna Menon Marg, from Hon'ble Dr. Justice DY Chandrachud without any further delay as not only the permission that was granted for retention... has expired on 31st May, 2025, but also the period of six months provided in Rule 3B of the 2022 Rules has expired on 10th May, 2025," says the letter from a Supreme Court official to ministry's secretary, accessed by HT.

The publication also reported that the Supreme Court official's letter to the ministry mentioned that a month after his retirement, Justice Chandrachud wrote to his successor, then Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna. "It would be more convenient if I am permitted to retain the existing accommodation at 5 Krishna Menon Marg till 30 April 2025," he wrote, and offered to forgo the bungalow allotted to him post-retirement. The then Chief Justice agreed, and the ministry approved that former Chief Justice Chandrachud can retain the Krishna Menon Marg from December 11, 2024, to April 30, 2025, on payment of licence fees of Rs 5,430 per month.