Former Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud Vacates Official Residence

D.Y. Chandrachud's Departure from Government Residence

D.Y. Chandrachud, the former Chief Justice of India, has vacated the government accommodation assigned to him. This decision follows a request from the Supreme Court administration to the central government to clear the residence, which was made approximately a month ago. The request was prompted by allegations from the Supreme Court administration that the former Chief Justice had overstayed in the bungalow beyond the permitted duration after his retirement.

In response to the situation, Chandrachud clarified that the delay in vacating the bungalow was due to personal reasons, which he had previously communicated to the Supreme Court administration and all Chief Justices.

Supreme Court Administration's Request

Last month, in an unprecedented move, the Supreme Court administration formally requested the central government to vacate the official residence of the Chief Justice of India located on Krishna Menon Marg. According to sources, the administration sent a letter to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) on July 1, asking for the current Chief Justice's designated residence—Bungalow No. 5 on Krishna Menon Marg—to be returned to the court's housing pool.

Regulations on Official Residences

Under Rule 3B of the Supreme Court Judges (Amendment) Rules, 2022, retired Chief Justices are allowed to occupy a Type VII bungalow for a maximum of six months post-retirement. Justice Chandrachud, who served as the 50th Chief Justice from November 2022 to November 2024, continued to reside in the official accommodation nearly eight months after stepping down. In contrast, former Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who succeeded him, opted not to stay in the official residence during his six-month term. The current Chief Justice, B.R. Gavai, has also chosen to remain in the previously allocated bungalow.

Request for Extended Stay

On December 18 of last year, Justice Chandrachud had written to then-Chief Justice Khanna, requesting permission to stay at the Krishna Menon Marg residence until April 30, 2025. He explained that although he had been allocated Bungalow No. 14 on Tughlak Road as per the 2022 regulations, renovations were ongoing at the new residence. Chief Justice Khanna granted his request, leading to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs allowing Justice Chandrachud to stay in the Type VIII bungalow on Krishna Menon Marg from December 11, 2024, to April 30, 2025, for a nominal license fee of approximately ₹5,000 per month.