Beyond the permissible period: The Supreme Court demanded the removal of East-CJI Chandrachud from the official residence without pre-deer; Write the center. Bharat News
New Delhi: In an unprecedented step, the Supreme Court administration has written to the Center demanding capturing the official residence of Chief Justice of India (CJI) on Krishna Menon Marg in the national capital.In a letter of July 1 to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (Mohua), Apex Court Administration said that the current living in the residence, former CJI DY Chandrachud, is living beyond the permissible period.Justice Chandrachud was the 50th Chief Justice of the country from November 2022-2024. The current CJI, Br Gavai, is the 52nd Chief Justice, and handles this May.The Supreme Court Administration requested Mohua Secretary to capture the bungalow number. 5, Krishna Menon Marg, “without any more delay,” so that it returns to the court’s residence pool. The letter states that Chandrachud has been allowed to maintain the house on 31 May.Under Rule 3B of Supreme Court Judges (Amendment), 2022, a retired Chief Justice of India can maintain Type VII bungalow, a level below 5, a level, Krishna Menon Marg Bungalow, for a maximum period of six months, for a period after retirement.East-CG Sanjeev Khanna, who succeeded Justice Chandrachud, opted to not go to the official residence during his six-month tenure. Even the assigned CJI Br Gavai has opted to stay in the already allotted bungalow.On December 18 last year, Justice Chandrachud wrote to his successor, and requested permission to stay at 5, Krishna Menon Marge Niwas by 30 April 2025, saying that although he was allotted a bungalow number. According to the rules of 2022 on 14 TUGHLAK Road, renewal work was going on at the new residence.The then-CJI Khanna gave his indication, according to which Mohua approved the retention of Type VIII bungalow by Justice Chandrachud from December 11, 2024, on payment of license fee of about Rs 5,000 per month by 30 April, 2025.The Ministry approved the administration of the Supreme Court by a letter of February 13.Subsequently, Justice Chandrachud made a verbal request to CJI Khanna to stay in the same residence till 31 May, which was approved by the then-CJI Albit with the condition that no further expansion would be given.On 1 July, a letter from the Apex Court Administration marked the violation of both the deadline and the legal structure, and said that Krishna Menon Marg residence was allowed due to “special circumstances”.The communication of this nature to the government is a rareness to vacate the official CJI residence which is also from an ex-CJI.According to government sources, in the past, several former CJI has informally expanded to stay in the official residence for a limited time of two months, until they make proper arrangements for their housing post retirement.Sources confirm that Justice Chandrachud has informed the apex court in his earlier communication about delay in exiting 5, Krishna Menon Marg Niwas is in view of creating a Tugalak Road bungalow for his family with special needs for his family, who are treating in AIMS.Sources also confirm that Justice Chandrachud then wrote to CG Khanna in April that he informs them that he was in the process of shortening a housing according to the special needs of his daughters and urged to expand the time to vacate the official residence by 30 June.
