Citing a shortage of accommodation for its judges, the Supreme Court administration has sought the vacation and return of the bungalow allotted to former Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud while he was in office, to its housing pool.
In a July 1 letter to the Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the Supreme Court administration pointed out that the time allowed for the former CJI to vacate the official accommodation had already expired.
Rule 3B of the Supreme Court Judges Rules, 2022, allows retired CJIs to retain their bungalow for up to six months after retirement. Currently, 5, Krishna Menon Marg, is designated as the official residence of the CJI.
Justice Chandrachud, who retired as CJI in November 2024, wrote to his successor Justice Sanjiv Khanna on December 18, 2024, seeking time until April 30, 2025, to vacate the place, and this was allowed.
On April 28, Justice Chandrachud wrote again to then CJI Khanna, seeking time until June 30, citing difficulty in finding a suitable accommodation that would also cater to the needs of his two daughters with special needs.
Reached for comments, Justice Chandrachud said he received no reply to that communication dated April 28. He added that he had a telephonic conversation with the incumbent CJI B R Gavai as well, and informed him that the government had allotted him an accommodation on rent. Due to some repairs that had to be carried out, the contractor had promised to hand it over by June 30, he said.
“It’s now only a matter of a few days and we are waiting for the ok word from the contractor. Maybe some work remained and that’s why the delay,” he said.
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Justice Chandrachud said the accommodation allotted to him was in a state of disuse for almost two years, and that is why repairs have to be carried out. He said the “grant of extension (to judges to stay in their official accommodation) is not an exceptional thing”.
He pointed out that he was earlier staying at 14, Tughlaq Road residence, which is a transit accommodation for judges and had decided against moving out from there even after becoming CJI as the family liked the place.
“But a few months after becoming CJI, I realised that the place is too small for official work. Even then, I moved into 5, Krishna Menon Marg, only one year after becoming the CJI,” Justice Chandrachud said.
He added that when he became a judge of the Supreme Court, he was staying in the Uttar Pradesh Sadan for almost six months before he was allotted a bungalow.
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Supreme Court sources, meanwhile, said that with the court functioning with 33 judges, there is always a demand for accommodation for the judges.
The sources added that the Supreme Court administration is awaiting a response to the letter sent on July 1.
