Justice Sanjiv Khanna nominated as next Chief Justice of India by CJI Chandrachud
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Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud has officially nominated Justice Sanjiv Khanna, the second-highest judge in the Supreme Court, as his successor.
The recommendation was made in a letter to the Union Law Ministry, marking the next step in the judiciary’s leadership transition ahead of CJI Chandrachud’s retirement on November 10.
As per the established protocol, the government reached out to CJI Chandrachud, requesting that he name his successor. Justice Chandrachud, who has been at the helm of India’s judicial system, is set to step down from his position next month.
Born in May 1960, Justice Khanna began his legal career in 1983, registering with the Delhi Bar Council. He initially practiced at the Tis Hazari District Courts and soon progressed to the Delhi High Court and tribunals. Over his career, he served as Senior Standing Counsel for the Income Tax Department and Standing Counsel (Civil) for the National Capital Territory of Delhi in 2004. In addition to his civil cases, Justice Khanna also handled several criminal cases and served as an Additional Public Prosecutor and amicus curiae in the Delhi High Court.
In 2005, he was appointed as an additional judge of the Delhi High Court, and the following year, he was promoted to permanent judge. During his tenure in Delhi, he played significant roles, including chairing the Delhi Judicial Academy and overseeing the Delhi International Arbitration Center and District Court Mediation Centers.
On January 18, 2019, Justice Khanna was elevated to the Supreme Court without having held the position of Chief Justice of any High Court - a rare accomplishment. His contributions have been wide-ranging, including his role as Chairman of the Supreme Court Legal Service Committee and his current position as Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority.
Justice Khanna has presided over numerous landmark cases.
Notably, he was part of the bench that refused to quash an FIR against a journalist for comments made on a TV show, emphasizing that while Article 19(1)(a) guarantees freedom of speech, it cannot infringe on the fundamental rights under Article 21, which protects the right to life.
In the case of the Central Vista Redevelopment Project, Justice Khanna delivered a dissenting opinion on the three-judge bench reviewing the petitions. Additionally, he was part of the bench that upheld the law repealing Article 370, which removed Jammu and Kashmir's special status, and ruled against the 2018 electoral bonds program in a key constitutional bench decision.