The Supreme Court administration has formally asked the Centre to take possession of the official Chief Justice of India’s residence, stating that former CJI Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud has stayed on beyond the permissible time since retiring in November last year. CJI Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud said that the delay was due to the requirements of his family, adding that he has 'two daughters with special needs'.
In a letter dated July 1, and addressed to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), the Supreme Court has requested that Bungalow No. 5 on Krishna Menon Marg, reserved for the sitting CJI, be vacated without further delay. Chandrachud, who served as the 50th Chief Justice between November 2022 and November 2024, continues to reside there nearly eight months after demitting office.
The letter states, “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.”
Rule 3B of the Supreme Court Judges (Amendment) Rules, 2022, entitles a retired Chief Justice to retain Type VII accommodation for up to six months post-retirement. The Krishna Menon Marg property is a Type VIII bungalow, one notch higher, and is customarily allotted to a sitting CJI.
Following a request dated 18 December 2024, Chandrachud was granted permission by then CJI Sanjiv Khanna to retain the residence until 30 April 2025, citing delays in renovation work at the alternative accommodation on Tughlak Road due to GRAP-IV pollution restrictions.
The Ministry of Housing subsequently allowed the extension from 11 December 2024 to 30 April 2025, on payment of a licence fee of ₹5,430 per month. However, a further oral request to stay until 31 May was granted with the understanding that no further extension would follow, as several judges were either in guest houses or awaiting bungalow allotments.
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The court’s letter notes that both the extended timeline and the limits set under the rules have now lapsed, necessitating immediate government action to reclaim the property.
When contacted, Justice Chandrachud acknowledged the delay and said, “I have already been allotted an accommodation by the government on rent and that house is currently under renovation because it was shut for the last at least two years. I informed the Supreme Court about this allotment, making it clear I will shift the very next day that the house is ready.”
He further added, “I have two daughters with special needs, which is why it has taken me some time to look for a house appropriate for their needs.”
“My daughters have severe comorbidities and genetic problems – particularly nemaline myopathy, for which they are being treated by specialists at AIIMS. I totally understand it is my personal issue. But I should also make it clear why it has taken me so long to look for a house, and this is something I have already discussed with the judges and the officers in the Supreme Court,” he said.
The former CJI reiterated that the issue would soon be resolved. “It is a matter of just a few days and I will shift… I have occupied the highest judicial office and I am completely cognisant of my responsibilities. 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,” he stated.
Justice Chandrachud also referred to a letter dated 28 April addressed to Justice Khanna, in which he explained the need for an extension until 30 June while he shortlisted suitable accommodation for his daughters.
The court’s letter marks a rare instance of formal institutional intervention in seeking possession of the official residence of a former Chief Justice, an action rarely made public in judicial or administrative circles.
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