In an unusual and assertive move, the Supreme Court administration has formally requested the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) to reclaim Bungalow No. 5, Krishna Menon Marg — the official residence reserved for the Chief Justice of India — from former CJI DY Chandrachud, citing overstay beyond the legally permitted period.
The Supreme Court’s letter dated July 1 states that the former CJI’s extended occupancy “has gone beyond the timeline permitted under law” and urges the Centre to take possession of the bungalow “without any further delay” so that it can return to the court’s housing pool.
Justice Chandrachud, who served as the 50th CJI from November 2022 to 2024, had been granted permission to remain in the type VIII bungalow until May 31, 2025, under “special circumstances” — primarily due to ongoing renovations at his allotted post-retirement residence on Tughlak Road. Notably, the rules under the Supreme Court Judges (Amendment) Rules, 2022, only permit a six-month stay in a Type VII bungalow after retirement.
According to sources, Justice Chandrachud had earlier cited the specific needs of his family, especially his two daughters undergoing treatment at AIIMS, as the reason for his continued stay. In April, he requested an extension from then CJI Sanjiv Khanna till June 30, stating that he was in the process of securing a new residence that suited their needs.
However, the SC’s administration now considers the continued retention of the residence as exceeding both the approved timeline and the legal framework. “The accommodation was permitted in special circumstances and no further extension was allowed,” the letter notes.
The move is seen as rare, especially given the high office held by Justice Chandrachud and the tradition of informal grace periods offered to outgoing CJIs in the past.
The 52nd and current CJI, Justice BR Gavai, who took oath in May, has opted to reside in his previously allotted official bungalow, bypassing the Krishna Menon Marg property altogether.
