Meet the Next Chief Justice of India

The outgoing Chief Justice of India BR Gavai, who is going to relinquish his post on November 23rd on superannuation, has reportedly recommended Justice Surya Kant as his successor. He is the second senior most judge of the Supreme Court and will also become the first Chief Justice from Haryana state. 

One month before the retirement of incumbent, it is customary that a recommendation has to be sent to Union Law Ministry about the next appointment to the highest judicial post. The letter from the government seeking the comments and recommendations of the current Chief Justice will kickstart the process of appointing the successor. 

As BR Gavai sent his recommendation, it is now just a formality before Surya Kant takes over as the 53rd CJI. Born in 1962, Surya Kant earned his Bachelor’s degree in Law in 1984 from Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak. He started his legal practice at the Hisar district court and shifted to Chandigarh in 1985 to practice in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. 

Surya Kant was the youngest Advocate General of Haryana in 2000. He was elevated as a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2004. Justice Kant was appointed as the Chief Justice of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh in October, 2018. In 2019, he was appointed as Supreme Court judge and will serve as Chief Justice until February 2027. 

Justice Kant has been a part of several landmark judgements including the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution which removed the special status to the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir and  electoral bonds case. He was a member of the Benches which heard the Pegasus spyware case and suspension of the sedition law.