Justice Surya Kant appointed as 53rd chief justice of India
What's the story
The president has appointed Justice Surya Kant as the new chief justice of India, effective November 24, following the retirement of incumbent CJI, BR Gavai, on November 23. This was confirmed by Union Minister for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal, who wrote on X, "The President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Surya Kant, Judge of the Supreme Court, as the Chief Justice of India with effect from 24th November, 2025." Kant's tenure will last till February 9, 2027.
Early life
Early life and education
Earlier this week, CJI Gavai wrote to the Union government, nominating Justice Surya Kant, the Supreme Court's second senior judge, as the next CJI. Justice Kant was born on February 10, 1962, in a small village in Haryana's Hisar district. He hails from a modest background with no legal family history. His father was a teacher, and he completed his early education at a village school before earning his law degree from Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) in 1984.
Professional journey
Legal career and early achievements
The same year, Justice Kant began his legal career as a lawyer at the district court in Hisar. He later shifted to Chandigarh to practice at the Punjab and Haryana High Court. At just 38, he became Haryana's youngest advocate general. In 2004, he was appointed as a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Academic pursuits
Master's degree and judicial appointments
Despite his busy career, Justice Kant continued his education and completed a master's degree from Kurukshetra University in 2011. He is known for his balanced judgments and calm demeanor. In October 2018, he was elevated as the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court before becoming a Supreme Court judge on May 24, 2019.
Judicial impact
Landmark judgments
Justice Kant has been part of several landmark judgments, including upholding the abrogation of Article 370 in 2023. He was also on the bench that directed a temporary halt on the use of sedition law in 2022. He was also a member of the bench that constituted an expert committee to investigate the alleged use of Pegasus spyware on activists and journalists, as well as part of the bench that granted bail to former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.