New Delhi — Justice Surya Kant has been appointed as the 53rd Chief Justice of India, succeeding Justice B.R. Gavai. He is set to assume office on November 24 after CJI B.R. Gavai’s retirement.
About the New Chief Justice
Born on February 10, 1962, in Petwar village, Hisar district, Haryana, Justice Kant earned his law degree from Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak, in 1984. In 2000, at the age of 38, he became the youngest Advocate General of Haryana and was designated as a Senior Advocate.
Justice Kant was appointed as a permanent judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on January 9, 2004, and served as Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court from October 5, 2018, before being elevated to the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019.
Key Priorities for His Tenure
In a recent interaction with journalists, Justice Surya Kant outlined mediation as a key priority, stating it could be a “game changer” for reducing the huge pendency of cases. He also stressed that judges should not come under pressure from social media trolling or commentary, asserting that judicial independence must remain paramount.
Tenure and International Participation
Justice Kant will serve as CJI until February 9, 2027, giving him a tenure of approximately 14 months. Chief justices and judges from Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Malaysia, Brazil, and Kenya are expected to attend his oath ceremony on Monday.
Outgoing CJI Gavai’s Legacy
Justice B.R. Gavai, the first Buddhist and second Scheduled Caste Chief Justice, stepped down this week after serving since May 2025. At his farewell, he identified his verdict against “bulldozer justice” as the most significant judgment of his tenure, followed by the ruling allowing states to sub-classify SCs and STs for job reservations.
