President Murmu Administers Oath To Justice Surya Kant As 53rd CJI; PM Modi Present At Ceremony

President Droupadi Murmu on Monday administered the oath of office to Justice Surya Kant, formally appointing him as the 53rd Chief Justice of India.

His elevation marks the beginning of a 14-month term at the helm of the Indian judiciary.

Justice Kant succeeds Justice Bhushan R Gavai, who demitted office on Sunday upon reaching the retirement age of 65.

Upholding established convention, the outgoing CJI had recommended Justice Kant — the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court — as his successor.

The President appointed Justice Kant in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution, acting on the recommendation sent by Justice Gavai.

The Union government had cleared the appointment earlier through a notification issued on 30 October.

A Distinguished Judicial Journey

Born on 10 February 1962 in a middle-class family in Haryana, Justice Surya Kant began his legal career in Hisar in 1984. He later shifted his practice to Chandigarh, where he took up a wide range of constitutional, service, civil and institutional matters, representing bodies such as universities, corporations, banks and even the High Court.

In July 2000, he became the youngest Advocate General of Haryana. They designated him a senior advocate in 2001 and elevated him as a permanent judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on 9 January 2004.

He went on to serve as Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court from October 2018 until his elevation to the Supreme Court in May 2019.

Justice Kant has also contributed significantly to legal services institutions. Since November 2024, he has served as Chairman of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee and has previously been a two-term member of NALSA’s Governing Body.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the swearing-in ceremony of Justice Surya Kant at Rashtrapati Bhavan, marking the formal start of his tenure as the 53rd Chief Justice of India.

His presence underscored the significance of the occasion and the judiciary’s pivotal role in the nation’s constitutional framework.

PM Modi congratulated the new CJI and extended his best wishes for a tenure focused on strengthening justice delivery.

Priorities as the New CJI

Speaking to the media ahead of assuming office, CJI-designate Surya Kant emphasised that reducing judicial pendency — both in the Supreme Court and across the country — would be his foremost priority.

He noted that his first steps would include consultations with High Courts to identify systemic issues affecting district and subordinate courts.

He further announced that he will constitute Constitution Benches of five, seven, and nine judges in the coming weeks to hear long-pending matters of national importance.

Justice Kant underscored the need to strengthen alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.

“Mediation will be implemented effectively to reduce the burden of millions of cases,” he said, adding that community mediation must be encouraged to help resolve disputes between states and between the Centre and states.

On the role of artificial intelligence, he acknowledged its potential but cautioned that challenges remain. AI could assist in procedural matters, he said, but citizens still expect their cases to be decided by judges.

Justice Surya Kant will serve as CJI until 9 February 2027, bringing to the role over four decades of experience and a clear focus on judicial efficiency, institutional strengthening and accessible justice.

His appointment marks an important new chapter for the Indian judiciary as it prepares for major reforms and long-awaited constitutional deliberations.

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