govt-appoints-justice-surya-kant-as-next-cji

The Union government on Thursday announced the appointment of Justice Surya Kant as the next Chief Justice of India (CJI), marking the first time a jurist from Haryana will assume the country’s highest judicial office.

 

He will be sworn in on November 24, a day after incumbent CJI Bhushan R Gavai demits office. Justice Kant will serve as the 53rd Chief Justice of India, with a tenure of approximately 14 months, retiring on February 9, 2027.

 

The official notification follows two days after CJI Gavai formally recommended Justice Kant, the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court, for the position.

 

Speaking to the media, CJI Gavai described his successor as “suited and competent in all aspects to take the helm,” noting that Justice Kant’s life experience would allow him to “understand the pain and sufferings of those who most need the judiciary to protect their rights.”

 

Born on February 10, 1962, in Petwar village in the Narnaud region of Hisar, Justice Kant is the youngest of five siblings. His father was a Sanskrit teacher and his mother a homemaker.

 

Educated in local village schools, he completed his graduation from Government Post Graduate College, Hisar, in 1981, and obtained his LL.B from Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, in 1984. 

 

Decades later, while serving as a High Court judge, he earned his LL.M. from Kurukshetra University in 2011, securing First Class First a reflection of his enduring academic discipline and intellectual curiosity. Those close to him often recall his belief that learning is a lifelong pursuit rather than a milestone.

 

Justice Kant began practising law at the Hisar District Court in 1984 before moving to Chandigarh the following year, where he built a distinguished career before the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

 

Specialising in constitutional, service, and civil law, he represented several universities, corporations, and public bodies, earning a reputation for meticulous case preparation and clarity of argument.

 

In July 2000, at just 38, he was appointed Advocate General of Haryana the youngest to hold the state’s top law office. The following year, he was designated a Senior Advocate.

 

He was elevated as a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in January 2004. According to those familiar with the appointment, Justice Kant initially hesitated to accept judgeship due to his flourishing practice and family responsibilities. It was only after a conversation with then Chief Justice AB Saharya who told him the judiciary “needed him” that he accepted the post. 

 

A former colleague recalled that “he viewed judgeship as repayment of a moral debt to the institution that shaped him.”

 

During his tenure at the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice Kant delivered several notable rulings. Among them were recognising the right of jail inmates to conjugal visits as part of their dignity and family life, directing the sanitisation of Dera Sacha Sauda headquarters in Sirsa following the 2017 violence after Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s conviction, and issuing monitored directions for coordinated anti-drug measures across Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh.

 

Also Read : Centre initiates process for appointing next CJI

 

In October 2018, he was appointed Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, where he earned respect for his administrative clarity and openness with the Bar. He consistently emphasised that “the district judiciary is the true mirror of the justice system.”

 

Away from the bench, Justice Kant is known for his gentler pursuits. Friends and colleagues describe him as a man with a deep appreciation for poetry, nature, and the quiet rhythms of rural life.

 

Justice Kant was elevated to the Supreme Court in May 2019, alongside Justice Gavai. Over six years, he has authored more than 300 judgments across constitutional, criminal, and administrative law.

 

He has served on several landmark benches, including the Article 370 abrogation case, the Section 6A Citizenship Act verdict, and the reference affirming Aligarh Muslim University’s minority status, where he penned a significant dissent.

 

He was also part of the bench that granted bail to former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal while upholding the legality of his arrest. 

 

Other key cases include the five-judge bench examining the governor–president bill assent timeline reference, with judgment expected next month, and the upcoming review of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) ruling concerning Enforcement Directorate powers.

 

Beyond the courtroom, Justice Kant has made major contributions to legal aid and institutional reform. He has served two terms on the governing body of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and is currently its Executive Chairman.

 

In July, he launched the Veer Parivar Sahayata Yojana 2025, which provides free legal assistance to soldiers, veterans, and their families, a programme he described as “a fulfilment of constitutional duty.”

 

Known for his courteous demeanour, empathy, and ability to build institutional consensus, Justice Kant will assume the office of CJI at a time when the judiciary faces complex constitutional questions and heightened public expectations regarding transparency, efficiency, and reform.

 

His 14-month tenure is expected to focus on strengthening district-level judicial infrastructure, advancing digitisation, streamlining procedures, and overseeing several major constitutional bench hearings.