Justice Surya Kant has been appointed as the 53rd Chief Justice of India (CJI) and will assume charge on November 24, succeeding Justice Bhushan R. Gavai, who retires a day earlier.
The Department of Justice under the Union Law Ministry issued the official notification announcing his appointment on Thursday. Justice Kant will serve as CJI for nearly 15 months, demitting office on February 9, 2027, upon attaining the age of 65.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Surya Kant, Judge of the Supreme Court of India, as the Chief Justice of India with effect from November 24, 2025,” Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal stated on X, extending his congratulations and best wishes.
Born on February 10, 1962, in Haryana’s Hisar district, Justice Surya Kant was elevated to the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019. His judicial career spans over two decades and is marked by key judgments on constitutional matters, democracy, corruption, environmental protection, and gender equality.
Justice Kant was part of the historic bench that suspended the colonial-era sedition law and directed that no new FIRs be registered under it until further review. He also pushed the Election Commission to reveal details of 65 lakh excluded voters in Bihar, underscoring his stance on electoral transparency.
He made history by mandating one-third reservation for women in Bar associations, including the Supreme Court Bar Association. Justice Kant also served on the bench that formed a committee headed by Justice Indu Malhotra to probe the 2022 security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Punjab visit, emphasizing the need for a “judicially trained mind” in such matters.
Justice Kant upheld the One Rank-One Pension (OROP) scheme for defence personnel, terming it constitutionally valid, and continues to hear cases on granting women officers permanent commissions in the armed forces.
He was also part of the seven-judge bench that overturned the 1967 Aligarh Muslim University ruling, paving the way for reconsideration of the university’s minority status. Additionally, he played a key role in the Pegasus spyware case, where the court appointed a cyber expert panel to investigate alleged surveillance, asserting that the “state cannot get a free pass under the guise of national security.”
