Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna on Tuesday firmly declared that he would not accept any official post-retirement assignments, even as he vowed to continue contributing to the legal field. “I will not accept any post-retirement post… perhaps will do something with law,” he told journalists after his final day at the Supreme Court.
Justice Khanna, who joined the apex court on January 18, 2029, and took over as CJI on November 11, 2024, demitted office on Tuesday. Speaking informally after the ceremonial bench proceedings, he hinted at beginning a “third innings” in the legal world, joining a handful of former judges who have chosen not to enter arbitration or government-appointed roles post-retirement.
When asked about the recent controversy involving High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma, who was embroiled in a cash recovery case, the CJI remarked, “Judicial thinking has to be decisive and adjudicatory. We see plus and minus points and decide the issue, then rationally weigh various factors to make the right decision.”
Justice Khanna had acted promptly following reports of unaccounted cash allegedly linked to Justice Varma. He ordered a preliminary inquiry led by Delhi High Court Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya, removed Varma’s judicial duties, and transferred him to the Allahabad High Court without any court work. After an in-house inquiry found Varma guilty, Khanna urged him to resign. When the judge refused, he formally wrote to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking further action.
Meanwhile, CJI-designate Justice B.R. Gavai has also declined to take up any official post-retirement role, signaling a rare moment of ethical clarity at the top of the judiciary.
