Justice Surya Kant, the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court of India, will be the country's 53rd Chief Justice of India (CJI). President Droupadi Murmu has approved his appointment. Justice Surya Kant will assume office on November 24, 2025.
New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu has appointed Justice Surya Kant as the new Chief Justice of India. He will assume office on November 24. The tenure of the current Chief Justice, B.R. Gavai, will end on November 23. Union Minister of Law and Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal, shared information about this appointment and congratulated Justice Surya Kant. Justice Surya Kant will be the country's 53rd Chief Justice, and his tenure is expected to bring a new direction and energy to the judiciary.
Government Confirms Appointment of Justice Surya Kant
Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal wrote on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), "Exercising the powers conferred by the Constitution of India, the Hon'ble President has appointed Justice Surya Kant as the Chief Justice of India with effect from November 24, 2025. I extend my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to him." Justice Surya Kant's tenure will be approximately 15 months. He will retire on February 9, 2027.
Justice Surya Kant's Judicial Journey
Justice Surya Kant was born on February 10, 1962, in Hisar district, Haryana. Coming from a middle-class family, Surya Kant received his early education in Haryana. He started practicing law in 1984 and later began his legal career at the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He became Advocate General, Haryana, in 2004 and was appointed as a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2007. On May 24, 2019, he was elevated as a judge to the Supreme Court of India.
During his tenure at the Supreme Court, he played a crucial role in several landmark judgments. His decisions are known for promoting judicial transparency, equality, constitutional values, and strengthening democracy.
Key Judgments and Contributions
- Sedition Law: Justice Surya Kant was part of the bench that stayed the colonial-era sedition law (Section 124A IPC), directing that no new FIRs be registered under it until the government's review is complete. This decision was considered historic in the direction of civil liberties.
- Pegasus Spyware Case: He was part of the bench that constituted an independent committee of cyber experts to investigate the Pegasus spyware case. This committee was instructed to work under judicial supervision to protect citizens' privacy.
- Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Case: Justice Surya Kant was part of the historic seven-judge bench that allowed a reconsideration of the 1967 Aligarh Muslim University judgment, opening a new chapter of debate regarding the institution's minority status.
- One Rank-One Pension (OROP): He upheld the constitutional validity of the One Rank-One Pension scheme for the defense forces. His decision protected the interests of millions of ex-servicemen.
- Initiative for Women's Reservation: Justice Surya Kant is also credited with directing the reservation of one-third of seats for women in the Supreme Court Bar Association. This step was considered a historic initiative towards gender equality in the judicial field.
- Emphasis on Election Transparency: He ordered the Election Commission to make public the details of 65 lakh names removed from the voter list in Bihar, sending a message to enhance transparency in the electoral process.
- Punjab PM Security Breach Probe: He was also part of the bench that constituted a five-member committee headed by Justice Indu Malhotra to investigate the security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Punjab in 2022. He stated that such matters require a "judicially trained mind."
The retirement age for Supreme Court judges in India is 65 years. Traditionally, the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court is appointed as the country's next Chief Justice. The incumbent Chief Justice, B.R. Gavai, had recommended Justice Surya Kant's name to the government, following which the President approved his appointment.
