Justice Surya Kant, a distinguished Supreme Court judge known for his progressive and reform-driven verdicts, has been named the 53rd Chief Justice of India (CJI). Chief Justice of India B. R. Gavai on Monday recommended his name to the Centre. Justice Kant, currently the senior-most judge of the apex court, will assume office on November 24 following CJI Gavai’s retirement and will serve until February 9, 2027.
Born on February 10, 1962, in Haryana’s Hisar district, Justice Kant’s journey from a small-town lawyer to the country’s top judicial post is marked by decades of service and landmark judgments. A first-class law graduate from Kurukshetra University, he began his judicial career at the Punjab and Haryana High Court, where he earned recognition for his sharp legal acumen and integrity. He later served as Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court before being elevated to the Supreme Court in May 2019.
During his tenure at the top court, Justice Kant has been part of several historic rulings, including those related to the abrogation of Article 370, the Pegasus spyware probe, and the suspension of the colonial-era sedition law. He also played a key role in directing the Election Commission to reveal details of 65 lakh voters excluded from Bihar’s draft electoral roll and pushed for gender equity in the legal profession by mandating one-third representation for women in bar associations.
Justice Kant was also part of the bench that upheld the One Rank-One Pension scheme, balanced national security and environmental concerns in the Char Dham project case, and ordered a judicial probe into the security lapse during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Punjab visit in 2022.
His judgments often emphasize accountability and ethical governance. He has consistently warned against corruption, describing it as a “serious societal threat,” and has ordered CBI probes into fraudulent banking and real estate practices. In another notable decision, he granted bail to former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy case, asserting that investigative agencies must not function as “caged parrots.”
Justice Kant’s approach to free speech has been nuanced—protecting expression while cautioning against hate and insensitivity. He has reprimanded public figures, comedians, and ministers alike for offensive remarks, reminding that “freedom of speech is not a licence to flout societal norms.”
Having contributed to over 300 benches and a wide range of constitutional and criminal law cases, Justice Surya Kant now steps into the CJI’s chair with the formidable task of addressing nearly 90,000 pending cases in the Supreme Court. His appointment signals a continuation of a judiciary that values integrity, inclusiveness, and constitutional balance.
