Supreme Court Seeks Immediate Vacation of CJI Bungalow Occupied by Former Chief Justice DY Chandrachud

The Supreme Court administration has formally requested the Union government to expedite the vacation of the official Chief Justice’s residence at 5 Krishna Menon Marg, which continues to be occupied by former Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud beyond the permitted tenure. The request, directed to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), seeks the immediate return of the bungalow to the court’s housing pool.

According to sources cited by CNN-News18, the bungalow—designated for the sitting CJI—is a Type VIII government accommodation located in Lutyens’ Delhi. Justice Chandrachud, who served as the 50th CJI from November 2022 to November 2024, remains in residence nearly eight months after his retirement.

In an official communication dated December 18, 2024, Justice Chandrachud had written to then Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, seeking permission to retain the residence until April 30, 2025. In his letter, he cited ongoing renovation delays at his newly allotted residence—Bungalow No. 14 on Tughlak Road—attributable to restrictions on construction activity imposed under GRAP-IV protocols.

“It would be more convenient if I were permitted to retain the existing accommodation at 5 Krishna Menon Marg till 30 April 2025,” Justice Chandrachud wrote, adding that he was willing to forgo the Tughlak Road bungalow so it could be reassigned to another judge.

Under Rule 3B of the Supreme Court Judges (Amendment) Rules, 2022, a retired CJI is eligible to retain a Type VII accommodation for up to six months post-retirement. However, the residence on Krishna Menon Marg falls under the higher Type VIII category. Following approval from then CJI Sanjiv Khanna, MoHUA allowed Justice Chandrachud to continue occupying the Type VIII residence from December 11, 2024, until April 30, 2025.

Despite this extension, with the stipulated period now lapsed, the Supreme Court has moved to reclaim the bungalow for official use. Notably, both Justice Sanjiv Khanna and the incumbent CJI, Justice Bhushan R. Gavai, have chosen to remain in their previous official residences, declining to shift to the Krishna Menon Marg property.