New Delhi: Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bhushan R. Gavai on Monday recommended the name of Justice Surya Kant as his successor to the Centre, setting the stage for Justice Kant to become the 53rd Chief Justice of India.
The recommendation follows a formal communication from the Law Ministry seeking CJI Gavai’s suggestion for his successor, as he is scheduled to retire on November 23. Justice Surya Kant, currently the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court and next in line by seniority, will assume office after Justice Gavai’s retirement.
Once the Centre issues the official notification, Justice Kant is expected to take oath as the new Chief Justice on November 24. His tenure will run until February 9, 2027, giving him a term of nearly 14 months.
Justice Gavai assumed charge as the 52nd Chief Justice of India in May 2025.
As per established convention, the Law Ministry reaches out to the sitting Chief Justice about a month before retirement to seek a recommendation for the next appointment. The Chief Justice then formally forwards the name of the senior-most eligible judge to the government.
According to the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) governing judicial appointments, the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court deemed fit for the role is appointed as the Chief Justice of India. With CJI Gavai’s recommendation now sent to the Centre, Justice Surya Kant’s appointment is expected to be notified soon.
Born on February 10, 1962, in a middle-class family in Haryana, Justice Kant graduated 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 at the District Court in Hisar in 1984 before moving to Chandigarh in 1985 to practice at the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Over the years, he gained expertise in constitutional, service, and civil law, representing various universities, corporations, banks, and even the High Court itself.
Justice Kant made history as the youngest Advocate General of Haryana on July 7, 2000. He was designated as a Senior Advocate in March 2001 and continued as Advocate General until his elevation as a permanent judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on January 9, 2004.
He served as a member of the Governing Body of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) from February 2007 to February 2011 and is currently part of several committees of the Indian Law Institute, a deemed university under the Supreme Court.
Justice Kant took charge as Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court on October 5, 2018, and was elevated to the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019. Since November 12, 2024, he has been serving as Chairman of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee. He is set to retire on February 9, 2027.
With IANS inputs