Justice Surya Kant appointed next Chief Justice of India

New Delhi: The Centre on Thursday cleared the appointment of Supreme Court judge, Justice Surya Kant, as the next Chief Justice of India (CJI).

“In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Surya Kant, Judge of the Supreme Court of India, to be the Chief Justice of India with effect from November 24, 2025,” read a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice.

Incumbent CJI Bhushan R. Gavai is set to retire on November 23, upon attaining the age of 65 years.

Justice Gavai had earlier recommended Justice Kant as his successor, following the established convention of appointing the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court as the Chief Justice of India.

Justice Kant, who will be the 53rd Chief Justice of India, will have a tenure of about 14 months, demitting office on February 9, 2027.

Born on February 10, 1962, in a middle-class family in Haryana, Justice Surya Kant completed his graduation from Government Post Graduate College, Hisar, in 1981, and earned his law degree from Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak, in 1984.

He began his legal practice in Hisar in 1984 and moved to Chandigarh the following year to practise before the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Over the years, he handled a wide range of constitutional, service, and civil matters, representing universities, boards, corporations, banks, and even the High Court itself.

Justice Kant was appointed as the youngest Advocate General of Haryana on July 7, 2000, and was designated a senior advocate in March 2001.

He was elevated as a permanent judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on January 9, 2004.

He went on to serve as Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court from October 5, 2018, until his elevation to the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019.

Justice Kant has also been associated with various judicial and legal service institutions. He served as a member of the Governing Body of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) for two consecutive terms between 2007 and 2011 and currently serves on several committees of the Indian Law Institute, a deemed university functioning under the Supreme Court of India.

Since November 2024, he has been the Chairman of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee.

IANS