New Delhi, Nov 24: Justice Surya Kant formally assumed office on Monday as the 53rd Chief Justice of India (CJI), ushering in a new phase for the Indian judiciary. The oath of office was administered by President Droupadi Murmu at a ceremony held in Rashtrapati Bhavan, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several senior Cabinet ministers.
Justice Kant succeeds Justice BR Gavai, who retired on Sunday. Having been appointed on October 30, Justice Kant is set to serve a nearly 15-month tenure, demitting office on February 9, 2027, when he turns 65.
A Judicial Career Defined by Landmark Judgments
Justice Surya Kant arrives at the top post with a reputation for clarity, constitutional insight, and a willingness to question long-standing norms. During his time on the Supreme Court bench, he played pivotal roles in several high-impact rulings:
Key Constitutional Decisions
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Article 370 Verdict: Part of the historic bench that upheld the Union government’s decision to abrogate Article 370, ending Jammu & Kashmir’s special status.
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Colonial Sedition Law: Helped put the contentious sedition law on hold by directing state authorities not to file fresh FIRs until the statute undergoes reconsideration.
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Presidential Reference on Governors’ Powers: Oversaw the crucial reference seeking clarity on the powers of Governors and the President in relation to state legislation.
Electoral and Democratic Reforms
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Directed the Election Commission to reveal details of 65 lakh voters dropped from Bihar’s draft electoral rolls, stressing transparency in electoral processes.
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Reinstated a woman sarpanch who had been illegally removed, identifying clear gender bias in local governance.
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Ordered that one-third of all seats in bar associations, including the Supreme Court Bar Association, be reserved for women—an unprecedented push for gender equality within the legal profession.
National Security, Rights & Accountability
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Served on the bench that appointed a panel led by Justice Indu Malhotra to investigate the 2022 security breach during Prime Minister Modi’s Punjab visit, insisting that such incidents require “a judicially trained mind.”
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Upheld the One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme for defence personnel.
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Continued to hear gender parity cases filed by women officers seeking permanent commission in the armed forces.
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Played a role in the Pegasus spyware matter, asserting that the government cannot claim national security as a catch-all shield to avoid judicial scrutiny.
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Part of the seven-judge bench that overruled the 1967 AMU judgment, a significant constitutional turning point.
From Hisar to the Supreme Court: A Journey Rooted in Hard Work
Born on February 10, 1962, in Hisar, Haryana, Justice Surya Kant’s rise to the nation’s highest judicial office is widely seen as a testament to determination and academic excellence. He completed his Master’s in Law from Kurukshetra University, where he graduated first class first.
Before his elevation to the Supreme Court, he served as the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court and authored numerous notable judgments in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Despite the scrutiny that accompanies judicial office in the digital age, Justice Kant has maintained a calm demeanor. Speaking once about criticism, he remarked:
“Frankly speaking, I call social media ‘unsocial media’. I do not feel pressured by online comments. Fair criticism is always acceptable.”
A Tenure to Watch
As he begins his term, Justice Surya Kant is expected to preside over several pending matters of national importance—from electoral reforms and gender justice to constitutional challenges. With a track record of thoughtful, people-centric judgments, his tenure is likely to shape the legal landscape well beyond 2027.