In an unprecedented move, the Supreme Court medication has written to the Centre for vacating the authoritative residence of the Chief Justice of India astatine Krishna Menon Marg here, noting that the existent occupant ex-CJI DY Chandrachud has stayed beyond the permissible period.
Advertisement
In a connection connected July 1 to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), the apex tribunal medication said the designated residence for the sitting Chief Justice of India -- Bungalow No. 5 connected Krishna Menon Marg -- beryllium vacated and returned to the court's lodging pool, sources said.
The missive requested the MoHUA caput to instrumentality possession of the bungalow from the erstwhile CJI without immoderate further hold arsenic not lone the support that was granted to him for retention of the accommodation expired connected May 31, 2025 but besides the play of six months provided nether the 2022 Rules connected May 10, 2025.
Under Rule 3B of the Supreme Court Judges (Amendment) Rules, 2022, a retired Chief Justice of India tin clasp benignant VII bungalow, a level beneath the 5, Krishna Menon Marg bungalow, for a maximum play of six months post-retirement.
Justice Chandrachud, who has served arsenic the 50th CJI betwixt November 2022 and November 2024, is presently occupying the authoritative residence of Chief Justice of India astir 8 months aft demitting office.
Former Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, who succeeded Justice Chandrachud, chose not to determination into the authoritative accommodation during his six months tenure. Even incumbent CJI BR Gavai opted to proceed surviving successful a antecedently allotted bungalow.
On December 18, past year, Justice Chandrachud has written to past CJI Khanna requesting him to let him proceed residing successful the 5, Krishna Menon Marge residence till April 30, 2025, saying though helium has been allotted Bungalow No. 14 connected Tughlak Road successful accordance with 2022 rules, renovation enactment astatine the caller residence was going on.
Then CJI Khanna gave his motion pursuant to which MoHUA approved the retention of the benignant VIII bungalow astatine Krishna Menon Marg by Justice Chandrachud from December 11, 2024, to April 30, 2025 connected outgo of licence fees of astir Rs 5,000 per month.
The ministry conveyed the support to the Supreme Court medication by a missive of February 13, 2025.
Subsequently, Justice Chandrachud made an oral petition to past CJI Khanna to proceed residing successful the aforesaid residence till May 31, 2025, which was besides approved by the past CJI with a information that nary further hold would beryllium granted arsenic respective caller judges had to enactment successful impermanent houses oregon person to marque alternate arrangements for accommodation successful the nationalist capital.
The July 1 missive of apex tribunal medication further flagged the breach of some the timelines and the ineligible framework, and said the Krishna Menon Marg residence was permitted owed to “special circumstances”, the knowing was that it would beryllium vacated aft the agreed-upon hold till May-end.
It requested the Centre to instrumentality possession of the authoritative CJI bungalow without immoderate further hold and pass the Supreme Court.
The connection of this quality to the authorities is simply a rarity for vacating the authoritative CJI residence that excessively from the erstwhile CJI.
According to sources, galore CJIs person been informally granted hold to enactment successful the authoritative residence for a constricted clip of a mates of months, till they marque due arrangements for their accommodation station retirement.
Sources corroborate that Justice Chandrachud successful his earlier communications has informed the apex tribunal astir the hold successful moving retired of the 5, Krishna Menon Marg residence successful presumption of making the Tughlak Road Bungalow liveable for his household particularly his 2 daughters with peculiar needs, who are undergoing attraction astatine AIIMS.
Sources besides corroborate that Justice Chandrachud has written to past CJI Khanna successful April informing him that helium was successful process of shortlisting of an accommodation successful accordance with the peculiar needs of his daughters and urged hold of clip for vacating the authoritative residence till June 30.
English (US) ·