Justice Surya Kant appointed as 53rd Chief Justice of India, to take charge on Nov 24

The appointment was confirmed late Thursday by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, who said in a post on X, “In exercise of the powers conferred by the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Justice Surya Kant, Judge of the Supreme Court of India, as the Chief Justice of India with effect from November 24. I convey my heartiest congratulations and best wishes to him.”

Justice Surya Kant, currently serving as a Supreme Court judge since May 24, 2019, will become the 53rd Chief Justice of India.

He will have a 14-month tenure, retiring on February 9, 2027, just before he turns 65, the retirement age for Supreme Court judges.

Born on February 10, 1962, in Hisar, Haryana, Justice Surya Kant is known for his sharp legal acumen and a series of landmark verdicts spanning constitutional, civil, and human rights issues.

He was part of the five-judge bench that upheld the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and played a pivotal role in rulings that strengthened free speech, democratic accountability, environmental protection, and gender equality.

Justice Kant was also on the bench that put the colonial-era sedition law on hold, ordering that no new cases be filed until a government review was completed.

He further pushed for transparency in elections, directing the Election Commission to publish details of 65 lakh voters excluded from electoral rolls during a special revision.

Among his other notable contributions, Justice Kant mandated one-third reservation for women in bar associations, upheld the One Rank-One Pension (OROP) scheme as constitutionally valid, and handled key petitions on gender parity in the armed forces.

He was also a member of the bench that probed the Pegasus spyware controversy, forming an expert panel to investigate alleged illegal surveillance.

During the hearings, Justice Kant made a widely quoted observation: “The state cannot get a free pass under the guise of national security.”

With his appointment, Justice Surya Kant is expected to continue emphasizing transparency, equality, and accountability within the judiciary and public institutions.