Latest news with #CJIs
Indian Express
07-08-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Retd SC judge Oka: Did Justice Murlidhar face consequences for decisions during Delhi riots
Noting that dissent by judges while adhering to Constitutional morality comes at a price, retired Supreme Court judge Justice Abhay Oka on Wednesday publicly asked if Justice (retired) S Muralidhar had to 'face consequences' for his 'bold decisions' during the 2020 Delhi riots. At the same event in the capital, themed on morality in judiciary, retired Delhi HC judge Justice Kailash Gambhir drew a contrast between former CJIs D Y Chandrachud and M N Venkatachaliah. He said that while one 'violated' the Constitutional scheme of separation of powers by inviting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a Ganesh Puja at his residence, the other had refused to meet the then PM, Rajiv Gandhi, when his elevation from the Karnataka HC to SC was underway. Justice Chandrachud had defended himself over the visit last year, saying there was 'absolutely nothing wrong for the simple reason that these are continuing meetings between the judiciary and the executive, even at a social level'. Justice Oka, delivering the keynote address at the event in New Delhi, said: 'Judges are not bound by traditional concepts of morality, they are bound by the oath of the constitution. We talk about dissenting judgements… We talk of Justice HR Khanna… he gave dissenting judgments because he was bound by his oath, not bound by what politicians feel or people in power feel or what the common man feels… One example I can't resist, it pertains to Delhi… a midnight bench was constituted (of Justices S Muralidhar and Anup Bhambhani), some victims of riots were stranded and the bench gave audience at midnight or a little past midnight and not only ensured that they were given safe passage, but also ensured that compliance is reported. We often talk about sacrifices made by the three judges in Kesavananda Bharati, but some day we also have to consider whether the judges who were in the midnight bench during the 2020 Delhi riots) met with consequences of their bold decisions given in the four corners of the Constitution. So when we discuss morality, we have to discuss this also… these judgements were delivered because the judges were not influenced by the opinion of the ruling party.' Justice Muralidhar, who retired in 2023 and is now practising as an advocate, was transferred from the Delhi High Court to the Punjab & Haryana High Court in February 2020 after questioning the Delhi Police's conduct in the riots and directing it to register FIRs against those who made hate speeches. Meanwhile, Justice Gambhir noted recent instances of 'judicial impropriety'. He spoke about Justice Yashwant Varma, at whose residence cash was found, and Justice Shekhar Yadav, who had made communal statements in a public address. He said apart from financial corruption, the judiciary has also been under attack owing to judges' 'temptation for post-retirement jobs'.
Hindustan Times
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Luggage packed, will move out of official residence: Ex-CJI D Y Chandrachud
New Delhi, In the wake of the controversy over his stay at the official residence beyond permissible time, former Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud on Monday cleared the air saying his luggage was packed and he along with his wife and children would soon move to a paid government accommodation. Luggage packed, will move out of official residence: Ex-CJI D Y Chandrachud Chandrachud, his wife Kalpana and daughters Priyanka and Mahi, both of whom are persons with disabilities, were living in the official CJI residence of 5, Krishna Menon Marg, New Delhi. "We have actually packed up our luggage. Our luggage is already completely packed up. Some of the luggage is already gone to the new house and some are kept here in the storeroom," Justice Chandrachud told PTI while elaborating on reasons for his overstay in the bungalow. The 50th CJI, who superannuated from the office on November 8, 2024, was responding to the Supreme Court administration's communication to the Centre to vacate the official bungalow due to the purported overstay. The former CJI lamented over the controversy and referred to the medical condition of his daughters who required a wheelchair-friendly home. "I won't tell you how I feel, but you can imagine how I feel about it…one thing which I would like to mention is that we are the parents of two children, Priyanka and Mahi. They are special children and they have special needs. They have a condition called Nemaline myopathy… And you know, this is a very rare genetic disorder which affects the skeletal muscles." He continued, "Even at home, we maintain a high standard of hygiene, sanitation and we have a very specialised nurse who looks after them. So now it's a matter of maybe a couple of days, or not a couple of days, but maybe a couple of weeks at the most. As soon as they tell me that the house is ready for occupation, I will be moving out." Justice Chandrachud recalled his elder daughter Priyanka being in the ICU for 44 days at PGI Chandigarh in 2021 and in January, 2022. "And you know, she had a difficulty when we were on a holiday in Shimla, and she's now actually attached to a tracheostomy tube…," he added. The former CJI pointed out his children's regular chest, respiratory and neurological therapies aside from pain and speech management. He said one of the kids had difficulty in swallowing as a multi-disciplinary team looked after both his children on a daily basis. Justice Chandrachud referred to former CJIs Justices U U Lalit and N V Ramana and other top court judges, saying they too were granted extension of time to stay in their official residences. "And importantly, this extension of time is granted not only to me but to other judges like Justice U U Lalit who retired as CJI and was given a house after his retirement at the Safdarjung road and Justice N V Ramana was given a house by the government at Tughlaq road after his retirement,' he said. Various other judges were also granted an extension of time because of the exigencies or a personal problem, he added. The former CJI also ensures his daughters are not exposed to dust or allergies or any kind of infection. Justice Chandrachud said he was "not the first person to be allotted the house by the government" and claimed the extension of time was the discretion of the chief justice of India. Referring to the sequence of events, Justice Chandrachud said after his retirement he spoke to then CJI Sanjiv Khanna, who succeeded him, and told him he was to return to 14, Tughlaq Road bungalow, where he lived before becoming the CJI. Justice Khanna, however, asked Justice Chandrachud to continue staying in the CJI bungalow as the former did not want to the official residence. On July 1, the apex court administration wrote to the Centre saying Justice Chandrachud had stayed in the CJI bungalow beyond the permissible period and sought the property to be vacated. In the communication sent to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs , the apex court administration said the residence designated for the sitting chief justice of India ought to be returned to the court's housing pool, sources said. The letter requested the MoHUA secretary to take possession of the bungalow from the former CJI without any further delay as not only the permission that was granted to him for retention of the accommodation expired on May 31 but also the prescribed six-month period of further stay under the 2022 Rules ended on May 10. Under Rule 3B of the Supreme Court Judges Rules, 2022, a retired chief justice of India can retain type VII bungalow, a level below the 5, Krishna Menon Marg bungalow, for a maximum period of six months post-retirement. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Time of India
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Govt officials balk at interfering in ex-CJI home row
Ex-CJI D Y Chandrachud (File photo) With Supreme Court taking an unusual step of asking the govt to take back the official bungalow of CJI at 5, Krishna Menon Marg, officials are hopeful of the situation sorting out itself sparing them of an unpleasant task of serving eviction notice to a former CJI. Media reports quoted ex-CJI D Y Chandrachud as saying they (he & family) are set to move out in a few days. Officials hopeful they won't need to serve ex-CJI eviction notice Amid media reports quoted ex-CJI D Y Chandrachud saying they (he & family) are set to move out and it was only a matter of a few days, officials in the housing and urban affairs ministry said they are hopeful that there would be no need for serving an eviction notice. Officials said this is perhaps for the first time when the SC administration has asked it to get a bungalow vacated from a former CJI and return it to the SC housing pool for fresh allotment. They added that for them it was a peculiar situation since the bungalow is placed under the SC housing pool and it is the apex court which takes a call on allotment. In a July 1 letter to the housing and urban affairs secretary, the SC administration had pointed out that the time allowed for the former CJI to vacate the official accommodation had expired, and hence, the bungalow must be vacated without delay. Sources said SC authorities wrote to the ministry as all govt accommodations, including those meant for judges and belonging to the SC pool, fall under the ministry's jurisdiction and it is the ministry that is responsible for carrying out any eviction. SC is in need of official accommodation for four judges, sources said. Rule 3B of the SC Judges Rules, 2022, allows retired CJIs to retain their bungalow for up to six months after retirement. Justice Chandrachud, who retired as CJI in Nov 2024, has been staying there. In Dec, he wrote to his successor and former CJI Justice Sanjiv Khanna, seeking time until April 30, 2025, to retain the bungalow, and this was allowed. Again in April, he wrote to the then CJI, Khanna, seeking time until June 30, citing difficulty in finding a suitable accommodation.
Indian Express
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Supreme Court administration asks Centre to take back CJI bungalow allotted to Justice Chandrachud, he says ‘only a matter of a few days'
Citing a shortage of accommodation for its judges, the Supreme Court administration has sought the vacation and return of the bungalow allotted to former Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud while he was in office, to its housing pool. In a July 1 letter to the Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the Supreme Court administration pointed out that the time allowed for the former CJI to vacate the official accommodation had already expired. Rule 3B of the Supreme Court Judges Rules, 2022, allows retired CJIs to retain their bungalow for up to six months after retirement. Currently, 5, Krishna Menon Marg, is designated as the official residence of the CJI. Justice Chandrachud, who retired as CJI in November 2024, wrote to his successor Justice Sanjiv Khanna on December 18, 2024, seeking time until April 30, 2025, to vacate the place, and this was allowed. On April 28, Justice Chandrachud wrote again to then CJI Khanna, seeking time until June 30, citing difficulty in finding a suitable accommodation that would also cater to the needs of his two daughters with special needs. Reached for comments, Justice Chandrachud said he received no reply to that communication dated April 28. He added that he had a telephonic conversation with the incumbent CJI B R Gavai as well, and informed him that the government had allotted him an accommodation on rent. Due to some repairs that had to be carried out, the contractor had promised to hand it over by June 30, he said. 'It's now only a matter of a few days and we are waiting for the ok word from the contractor. Maybe some work remained and that's why the delay,' he said. Justice Chandrachud said the accommodation allotted to him was in a state of disuse for almost two years, and that is why repairs have to be carried out. He said the 'grant of extension (to judges to stay in their official accommodation) is not an exceptional thing'. He pointed out that he was earlier staying at 14, Tughlaq Road residence, which is a transit accommodation for judges and had decided against moving out from there even after becoming CJI as the family liked the place. 'But a few months after becoming CJI, I realised that the place is too small for official work. Even then, I moved into 5, Krishna Menon Marg, only one year after becoming the CJI,' Justice Chandrachud said. He added that when he became a judge of the Supreme Court, he was staying in the Uttar Pradesh Sadan for almost six months before he was allotted a bungalow. Supreme Court sources, meanwhile, said that with the court functioning with 33 judges, there is always a demand for accommodation for the judges. The sources added that the Supreme Court administration is awaiting a response to the letter sent on July 1.
Time of India
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
What are the perks & benefits former CJI DY Chandrachud is getting post-retirement?
CJI post-retirement perks & benefits: Former Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, who served as the 50th CJI from November 2022 to 2024, has now stepped into retirement. However, his name has made headlines again, not for a judgment, but for continuing to stay in the official Chief Justice's residence in Delhi beyond the allowed time. As the retirement perks and benefits of former CJIs come into focus, let's take a closer look at what former CJI DY Chandrachud is currently entitled to and what sparked the latest controversy. Supreme Court Seeks Back Official CJI Residence The Supreme Court administration recently wrote to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) requesting the possession of Bungalow No. 5 at Krishna Menon Marg, the official residence of the sitting Chief Justice. This bungalow is still occupied by former CJI DY Chandrachud, even though the permission to stay there expired on May 31, 2024. The letter urged MoHUA to take back the property "without any further delay" so it can be returned to the court's housing pool. What Does the Rule Say? According to Rule 3B of the Supreme Court Judges (Amendment) Rules, 2022, a retired Chief Justice of India is allowed to stay in a Type-VII bungalow—one grade below the current official residence—for up to six months after retirement. This rule ensures a smooth transition period but does not permit extended stay in the high-security Krishna Menon Marg property meant for the current CJI. Post-Retirement Perks & Benefits of Former CJI DY Chandrachud Despite the housing issue, former CJI DY Chandrachud continues to enjoy various benefits and perks as part of his retirement entitlements. These benefits are designed to honour the dignity of the position even after stepping down from office. 1. Security Cover for Five Years A retired CJI is entitled to round-the-clock security at their residence along with a 24/7 personal security guard for five years post-retirement, according to CNBC TV18. This is to ensure the safety of the former CJI, given the sensitive nature of their past judgments. 2. Free Type-VII Bungalow for Six Months Apart from the official residence, a Type-VII bungalow in Delhi is offered rent-free for six months from the date of retirement. These types of bungalows are usually reserved for Members of Parliament or former Union Ministers. 3. Domestic Help and Chauffeur for Life The benefits of retirement also include a full-time domestic helper and a chauffeur-driven car, both provided for life. This ensures that former CJIs like DY Chandrachud can continue to live with comfort and dignity. 4. VIP Access at Airports Retired CJIs have access to ceremonial lounges at airports, ensuring they travel with the same honour and privilege as when they were in office. 5. Communication Allowances Retired CJIs are also provided with a residential telephone free of cost, and are eligible for a monthly reimbursement of up to Rs 4,200 (plus taxes) for, as reported in CNBC TV18: Mobile phone usage Broadband and data card expenses Landline call rates This covers both professional and personal communication needs. DY Chandrachud's Emotional Goodbye to Judiciary Before stepping down, Justice DY Chandrachud delivered a heartfelt farewell. 'I won't be able to deliver justice from tomorrow, but I am content,' he said in court. He also humbly asked for forgiveness if he had 'hurt anyone' during his tenure. While former CJI DY Chandrachud has now entered a new phase of life post-retirement, his perks and benefits remain a topic of public interest. From security and housing to travel and communication allowances, the retirement benefits of a former Chief Justice of India are designed to respect the office they once held. As discussions continue around the official residence issue, one thing is clear—DY Chandrachud's legacy as a Chief Justice will be remembered, and his post-retirement perks will continue to reflect the stature of India's top judicial post. For the latest and more interesting financial news, keep reading Indiatimes Worth. Click here.
