Seeking to ensure that chief justices of India do not have to wait for accommodation after they take charge, the Supreme Court registry has decided to have two bungalows designated as the official residence of the country's top judge.
According to the rules, a Supreme Court judge has six months to vacate their official government residence after retirement, and there have been instances of several months elapsing before chief justices can move into the designated bungalow.
Justice Surya Kant will be sworn in as the 53rd Chief Justice of India on Monday. His address will be 19, Akbar Road in Lutyens' Delhi and not the nearby 5, Krishna Menon Marg bungalow, which was earlier the sole official residence of the Chief Justice of India (CJI).
According to top Supreme Court sources, the house at 5, Krishna Menon Marg has been allotted to senior judge Justice Vikram Nath, who will succeed Justice Surya Kant as the next CJI when he retires in approximately 14 months.
Earlier, 5, Krishna Menon Marg was the official residence of the CJI, while the adjacent 7, Krishna Menon Marg was designated the CJI Secretariat. Now, it has been decided that this bungalow will be allotted to a Supreme Court judge, and the Supreme Court Registry has written a letter to the Centre about this.
According to sources, the registry had allotted the 19, Akbar Road bungalow - which is a two-storey house with a large office space - to Justice Surya Kant over a year ago. A few months ago the registry made a request to set up a temporary secretariat at this bungalow, which already exists in the 5, Krishna Menon Marg residence.
"Both residences can, thus, now function as the Chief Justice of India's official accommodation," said an official.
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