SC wants Chandrachud to vacate CJI bungalow
A July 1 communication from the Supreme Court, seen by HT, to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has demanded that Bungalow No. 5 on Krishna Menon Marg in Lutyens' Delhi -- the designated residence for India's sitting CJI, be 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,' read the letter from a Supreme Court official to the MoHUA secretary. HT has seen this letter.
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.
When contacted, Justice Chandrachud attributed the delay to compelling personal circumstances of which the Supreme Court administration was fully informed. He clarified that he had already been allotted alternative accommodation by the government on rent for a limited period, and was only waiting for it to be made livable after years of disuse.
As per the July 1 communication, on December 18, 2024 -- just over a month after he retired, Justice Chandrachud wrote to then CJI Khanna, seeking permission to continue residing at 5 Krishna Menon Marg until April 30, 2025.
In his letter, Justice Chandrachud said that although he had been allotted Bungalow No. 14 on Tughlak Road in accordance with Rule 3B of the Supreme Court Judges (Amendment) Rules, 2022, renovation work at the new residence had been stalled due to pollution-related construction restrictions under GRAP-IV.
'It would be more convenient if I am permitted to retain the existing accommodation at 5 Krishna Menon Marg till 30 April 2025,' wrote Justice Chandrachud, while offering to forgo the Tughlak Road bungalow so it could be allotted to another judge.
Rule 3B of the 2022 Rules permits a retired Chief Justice to retain Type VII accommodation, which is a notch below the Krishna Menon Marg bungalow (Type VIII), for a maximum of six months post-retirement.
In the wake of the then CJI's nod, MoHUA approved the retention of the Type VIII bungalow at Krishna Menon Marg by Justice Chandrachud from December 11, 2024, to April 30, 2025 on payment of licence fees of ₹5,430 per month. This was conveyed by MoHUA to the Supreme Court via a letter dated February 13, 2025.
The July 1 letter added that Justice Chandrachud subsequently made an oral request to the CJI to continue residing at the same premises until May 31, 2025, which was granted with a caveat -- no further extension would be allowed as other judges, elevated in the interim, were living in guest houses or waiting for a bungalow allotment.
The July 1 letter further underscores the breach of both the permission timeline and the statutory framework. It notes that Rule 3B entitles a retired Chief Justice to only a Type VII residence for six months, a period that ended for Justice Chandrachud on May 10, 2025.
The communication also clarified that while the Krishna Menon Marg residence was permitted due to 'special circumstances,' the understanding was that it would be vacated after the agreed-upon extension till May-end. With that deadline having lapsed, the administration has now pressed the ministry to 'take possession without any further delay' and confirm to the Supreme Court.
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.
Justice Chandrachud 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 added.
Justice Chandrachud also shared that the delay was, in part, due to the needs of his family, particularly his two daughters, both of whom require special care. '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,' he said.
'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.'
The former CJI maintained that the issue would soon be resolved and that he remained fully aware of the obligations that came with his past office.
'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,' Justice Chandrachud emphasised.
The former CJI further cited an April 28 letter that he wrote to the then CJI, Justice Khanna, informing him that he was in the process of shortlisting accommodation, given the special needs that his daughters had, seeking extension till June 30.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
20 minutes ago
- NDTV
Vice President Warns Of 'Ides Of March' For Judiciary After Cash-At-Home Row
Kochi: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday said he hopes a criminal investigation will be launched into the large stash of cash found at a judge's official residence in New Delhi, comparing the incident to the "Ides of March" -- a reference to Shakespeare's Julius Caesar and a symbol of looming misfortune. Referring to the incident, he said now the point is, if that cash was found, the system should have moved immediately and the first process would have been to deal with it as a criminal act, find out those who are culpable and bring them to justice. While interacting with the students and faculty members at the National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS), the Vice President likened the cash discovered at the High Court judge's residence to the "Ides of March." He said the judiciary faced its own "Ides of March" on the night of March 14-15, when large amounts of cash were officially acknowledged to have been found, yet no FIR was filed. Dhankhar stressed that the system should have treated it as a criminal matter from the start, but added that the Centre is currently constrained by a Supreme Court ruling from the early 1990s. "But so far, there has been no FIR. The government at the central level is handicapped because an FIR cannot be registered in view of a judgment of the Supreme Court rendered in early 90s," he said. The Vice President said the world looks at India as a mature democracy where there has to be rule of law, equality before law, which means every crime must be investigated. "If the money is so huge in volume, we have to find out: is it tainted money? What is the source of this money? How was it stacked in the official residence of a judge? Who did it belong to? Several penal provisions are violated in the process. I do hope an FIR will be registered," he said. "We must go to the root of the matter. Our judiciary -in which people's faith is unshakable- its very foundations have been shaken. The citadel is tottering because of this incident," Dhankar added. His statement comes amidst reports that Justice Yashwant Varma was facing an impeachment in Parliament after an unspecified amount of money was found in his official residence following a fire. Justice Varma has denied all allegations and submitted responses to both the Delhi High Court Chief Justice and a Supreme Court-appointed panel. Despite this, judicial work was withdrawn from him, and he was later transferred to the Allahabad High Court, where the Chief Justice was directed by the top court not to assign him any judicial duties for the time being. The panel investigating the incident has recorded statements from over 50 people, including Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora and Delhi Fire Service chief Atul Garg, who were among the first responders. During his interaction, Dhankar also said the judiciary in the country commands immense trust and respect of the people. "People believe in the judiciary like in no other institution. If their faith in the institution is eroded, we will be faced with a grim situation. A nation of 1.4 billion will suffer," the Vice President said. Dhankar said he was aghast that a functionary of the executive like the CBI director is appointed with the participation of Chief Justice of India. "Is this happening elsewhere in the world? Can it happen under our constitutional scheme? Why should an appointment of the executive be made by anyone else other than the executive?," he asked. Noting that the CBI director is not the senior most person in the hierarchy, the Vice President said he has above him the CVC, Cabinet Secretary, all Secretaries. "After all, he's heading a department," he said. He said if one institution -- the Judiciary, the Executive, or the Legislature -- makes an incursion into the domain of the other, it has the potential to upset the apple cart. "It can create unmanageable problems that can be potentially very dangerous for our democracy. For example, adjudication has to take place within the Judiciary. Judgments are to be scripted by the Judiciary -- not by the Legislature or the Executive. "Similarly, executive functions are performed by the Executive, because you elect the political executive through elections. They are accountable to you. They have to perform. But if executive functions are done by the Legislature or the Judiciary-- that will be antithetical to the essence and spirit of the Doctrine of Separation of Powers," the Vice President said. Dhankar said there had been turbulent times in the judiciary recently. "But the soothing thing is that a big change has taken place. We are seeing good times now for the judiciary. The present Chief Justice and his immediate predecessor give us a new era of accountability and transparency. They are getting things back on the rails," he said. However, the last two years were very disturbing and challenging, the Vice President said. "Thoughtlessly, several steps were taken; it will take a while to undo them. It is fundamental that institutions function with optimal performance," he added.
Hindustan Times
27 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
J&K election commission headless for over a month
All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC), a prominent registered body working for strengthening grassroots level democracy in J&K on Monday strongly condemned the silence adopted by political parties, the lieutenant governor and the legislators over the headless Jammu and Kashmir election commission. AJKPC president Anil Sharma during interaction with media on Monday. (HT Photo) AJKPC president Anil Sharma criticised the elected representatives of all political parties, saying that their silence shows they are not serious about panchayati raj institutions. 'If they really cared about grassroots democracy and the rights of people at the village level, at least one leader would have raised this issue with the government, the LG, or even in the media,' he said during a press conference here. He pointed out that not a single political party or public figure has shown concern or demanded appointment of a new poll chief even after it has been a month since the term of former J&K chief secretary ended. Sharma alleged that MLAs across party lines are not interested in holding panchayat or urban local body elections. 'On other issues, even those not connected to J&K or of national importance, they make loud statements. But when it comes to something as crucial as local elections, they choose to remain quiet,' he added. He reminded that under the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, only the state election commission has the legal authority to conduct panchayat and urban local bodies polls. 'These elections have already been overdue for more than 18 months now, and still the government is taking no action to address it,' he said. Sharma also appealed to the bureaucrats working closely with the Raj Bhavan to uphold the Constitution and values of democracy. 'Officers are there to serve the people and uphold public interest, not to follow the will of one individual. Individuals come and go, but institutions are permanent. It is their duty to protect these institutions,' he said. He added that AJKPC is planning to launch a full campaign across Jammu and Kashmir to demand early panchayat elections after the completion of the Amarnath Yatra and Independence Day celebrations. The AJKPC has already sent a detailed letter to the lieutenant governor and the CM, requesting that the post of state election commissioner be filled without any further delay.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Asaduddin Owaisi, Kiren Rijiju engage in war of words on social media over minorities rights
AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi and Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday engaged in a war of words on social media, with the former slamming the BJP leader over his statement that India is the only country where the minorities get more benefits and protections than the majority community, saying minority rights are fundamental rights, not charity. The Hyderabad MP, in a post on 'X', said, "You are a Minister of the Indian Republic, not a monarch. @KirenRijiju You hold a constitutional post, not a throne. Minority rights are fundamental rights, not charity." "India's minorities are not even second-class citizens anymore. We are hostages," Owaisi alleged. The AIMIM chief attacked Rijiju on the Waqf (Amendment) Act, and asked can Muslims be members of Hindu Endowment Boards? "No. But your Waqf Amendment Act forces non-Muslims onto Waqf Boards - and allows them to form a majority." He further said the BJP-led central government "discontinued" the Maulana Azad National Fellowship, "defunded" the pre-matric scholarship and limited the post-matric and merit-cum-means scholarships. "All because they benefited Muslim students," he said. Live Events Owaisi said Muslims are now the only group whose numbers have fallen in higher education and their presence in the informal economy has gone up. "They have been among the worst-hit by your government's economic policies," he alleged. Muslim-concentrated areas are the ones most starved of public infrastructure and basic services, he claimed. "We are not asking to be compared with other minorities of other countries. We are not asking for more than what the majority community gets. We are demanding what the Constitution promises: social, economic, and political justice," Owaisi said. Replying to the AIMIM president, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Rijiju in a post on 'X' said, "Ok... How come Minorities from our neighbouring countries prefer to come to India & our Minorities don't migrate? Prime Minister @narendramodi ji's welfare schemes are for all. The schemes of the Ministry of Minority Affairs provide additional benefits to the Minorities." Hitting back, Owaisi in a social media post said, "If we don't migrate it means we are happy. Actually, we are not in the habit of fleeing: we did not run away from the British, we did not run away during partition, and we did not run away because of Jammu, Nellie, Gujarat, Moradabad, Delhi etc massacres. Our history is proof that we neither collaborate with our oppressors nor do we hide from them. "We know how to fight for our democratic rights and we will inshallah. Stop comparing our great nation with failed states like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal & Sri Lanka. Jai Hind, Jai Samvidhan! Thank you for your attention in this matter!".
