New Delhi: Justice Surya Kant is set to take over as the 53rd Chief Justice of India (CJI) following the retirement of Chief Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai on November 23. The development comes after CJI Gavai formally recommended his name to the Union Law Ministry, in line with the established memorandum of procedure, which mandates the appointment of the senior-most Supreme Court judge as the next Chief Justice.
Born on February 10, 1962, in Hisar, Haryana, Justice Surya Kant has built an illustrious legal career marked by a series of landmark judgments. He was elevated to the Supreme Court of India on May 24, 2019, after serving as the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court. Justice Kant will hold the top judicial position until February 9, 2027, giving him a tenure of about 15 months.
Throughout his judicial journey, Justice Kant has been part of several significant rulings that have shaped India’s constitutional and democratic framework. Notably, he was a member of the bench that kept the colonial-era sedition law in abeyance, directing that no new FIRs be filed under it until the government’s review was complete.
He has also championed transparency and gender equality within the judicial system. In a landmark order, Justice Kant directed that one-third of seats in bar associations, including the Supreme Court Bar Association, be reserved for women. He also pressed the Election Commission to disclose the details of 65 lakh excluded voters in Bihar, reinforcing his commitment to free and fair elections.
Justice Kant’s notable interventions extend to national security and administrative accountability. He was part of the bench that appointed a five-member committee headed by Justice Indu Malhotra to investigate the security lapse during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Punjab visit in 2022.
He also played a key role in the Pegasus spyware case, where the bench asserted that the state cannot seek a “free pass” under the guise of national security, emphasizing the protection of citizens’ privacy.
In another crucial verdict, Justice Kant upheld the One Rank-One Pension (OROP) scheme for defence personnel, terming it constitutionally valid. He continues to hear cases related to gender parity in the armed forces, particularly concerning women officers seeking permanent commissions.
Justice Kant also served on the seven-judge bench that overruled the 1967 Aligarh Muslim University judgment, paving the way for a fresh examination of the institution’s minority status—a decision hailed as a progressive step toward inclusivity.
