The country’s judiciary may soon see a major change, as the formal process of appointing Justice Surya Kant as the next Chief Justice (CJI) has begun. Chief Justice Bhushan R. Gavai has formally recommended his name to the government and Justice Surya Kant is scheduled to take charge on November 24 once the notification is issued. His tenure is likely to last till 9 February 2027.
Let us tell you that Justice Surya Kant is currently one of the senior judges in the Supreme Court and he is considered to be very conscious about the constitutional approach and matters related to social concerns in the judicial system. CJI Gavai said while talking to Hindustan Times that Surya Kant, like him, comes from a social class which has achieved this position by fighting struggles. Due to this experience, they will prove capable of protecting the rights of the general public through the judiciary.
Justice Surya Kant, born on 10 February 1962 in Hisar, Haryana, also received his education from there. He obtained a law degree from Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak in 1984 and started practicing constitutional and civil cases in the Punjab-Haryana High Court from 1985. At the age of just 38, he became the youngest Advocate General of Haryana, and then in 2004, he was appointed a judge of the Punjab-Haryana High Court.
It is noteworthy that in 2018, he was appointed the Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court and in 2019, he was elevated to the Supreme Court. He participated in many important historical decisions by sitting on the constitutional benches, in which the decision related to removal of Article 370 is especially mentioned. According to sources, he has contributed in more than a thousand cases so far.
According to available information, Justice Surya Kant is currently the Chairman of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee and is associated with many national law institutes as a visiting authority. The special thing is that if he assumes charge, he will become the first person from Haryana to reach this highest judicial post, which is being seen as a historic achievement for the state. This appointment is also considered to be taking forward the tradition based on seniority in judicial appointments. After his becoming the Chief Justice, continuity and institutional stability is being expected in the judiciary.