Justice Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, the former Chief Justice of India, on Sunday cited personal reasons for his extended stay at the official residence of the CJI, after the Supreme Court administration wrote to the Centre seeking his removal from the bungalow.
Chandrachud said that there was a delay in vacating the bungalow due to the requirements of his family and that he has “two daughters with special needs”.
“My daughters have severe comorbidities and genetic problems – particularly nemaline myopathy, for which they are being treated by specialists at AIIMS,” Hindustan Times quoted the former CJI as saying.
He cited “personal issue” as the reason behind the delay in finding an appropriate house for the family. Chandrachud further clarified that he had discussed this matter with the Supreme Court judges and officers. He assured he would move out in a few days, asserting that he was aware of his responsibilities having “occupied the highest judicial office”.
“To be sure, former CJIs in the past have been allowed extended time to retain government accommodation post-retirement, often to facilitate transition or address personal exigencies,” Chandrachud said.
SC Admin Writes To Centre Over The Matter
The Supreme Court administration on July 1 wrote to the Centre in connection with the vacating of the CJI’s official residence Bungalow No. 5 on Krishna Menon Marg, stating that Chandrachud’s stay had extended beyond the permissible period.
The apex court administration, in a letter to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), said the designated residence for the sitting CJI must be vacated and returned to the court’s housing pool, news agency PTI reported.
The letter noted that not only had the persmission granted to the former CJI for an extended stay expired on May 31, 2025, but an additional period of six months that is allowed under the 2022 Rules, had also expired on May 10, 2025.
As per the SC’s letter to the MoHUA Secretary, Chandrachud had written to then CJI Sanjiv Khanna on December 18, 2024, requesting an extension of his stay till April 30,2025. He cited stalled rennovation work at his newly alloted Bungalow No. 14 on Tughlak Road due to polluation-related curbs under GRAP-IV as the reason behind the delay.
Former CJI Khanna accepted his retention request from December 11, 2024, to April 30, 2025 on payment of licence fees of around Rs 5,000 per month. Thereafter, he made another oral request to then CJI Khanna to continue living in the same bungalow till May 31, 2025, which he approved. However, he stated that no further extension would be granted as several new judges had to live in guest houses or make alternate arrangements for accomodation.
Justice Chandrachud served as the 50th CJI between November 2022 and November 2024. He is currently living in the official residence of the CJI, despite demitting office nearly eight months ago.
Both ex-CJI Sanjiv Khanna, who succeeded Chandrachud, and even incumbent CJI BR Gavai, chose not to move into the official accommodation and continued living in a bungalow previously allotted to them.
(With inputs from news agency PTI.)
