After BR Gavai, Justice Surya Kant To Assume Office As 53rd Chief Justice Today

Justice Surya Kant will take oath today as India’s 53rd Chief Justice, commencing a significant fourteen-month judicial tenure.

President Droupadi Murmu will administer the oath, formally marking his succession to outgoing Chief Justice Bhushan R Gavai.

Justice Gavai retired yesterday at sixty-five, continuing the long-standing convention of appointing the Supreme Court’s senior-most judge.

Justice Surya Kant, born in Haryana in 1962, began practising law in Hisar before shifting to Chandigarh.

He handled a wide range of constitutional, service, and civil matters while representing universities, corporations, banks, and several governmental institutions professionally.

He became Haryana’s youngest Advocate General in 2000 and earned the designation of senior advocate the following year.

He joined the Punjab and Haryana High Court as a permanent judge in January 2004, advancing quickly through judicial responsibilities.

Later served as Himachal Pradesh High Court Chief Justice until his Supreme Court on May 24, 2019.

Since November 2024, he has chaired the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee, overseeing crucial nationwide legal aid initiatives.

Later told reporters that reducing judicial pendency would be his top priority immediately after formally assuming his new responsibilities.

He plans to coordinate closely with High Courts to identify issues affecting district and subordinate courts across India.

He announced forthcoming Constitution Benches comprising five, seven and nine judges to address long-pending constitutional matters promptly. He emphasised strengthening mediation frameworks and encouraging community-based dispute resolution to reduce escalating nationwide litigation burdens effectively.

He noted that artificial intelligence could assist procedural tasks, while judicial decisions must remain firmly entrusted to human judges.

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