New CJI of India: Justice Sanjiv Khanna Appointed as the 51st Chief Justice
Justice Sanjiv Khanna has been appointed as the 51st Chief Justice of India (CJI). Current CJI, Justice DY Chandrachud’s term will end on November 10, and Justice Khanna’s name was recommended for the position a few days ago. President Droupadi Murmu has approved this recommendation. As a result, Justice Sanjiv Khanna will take the oath of office as the next CJI on November 11, as confirmed by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal. He will serve in this position until May 13, 2025.
According to tradition, the sitting CJI recommends the name of the most senior judge of the Supreme Court to succeed them. Justice Khanna is the most senior judge after Justice Chandrachud. Once his name was proposed, it received the President’s approval. Justice Chandrachud’s tenure as CJI will conclude on November 10 of this year, and Justice Khanna will assume office the following day.
Justice Sanjiv Khanna, the most senior judge in the Supreme Court, has played a crucial role in delivering landmark judgments. He has been part of benches that ruled on significant issues such as electoral bonds, the abrogation of Article 370, and the endorsement of EVM usage. Coming from a prominent family in Delhi, Justice Khanna is closely related to the late former Justice H.R. Khanna. Born on May 14, 1960, Sanjiv Khanna studied law at the University of Delhi.
Justice Khanna was appointed as a Supreme Court judge on January 18, 2019. He enrolled as an advocate with the Delhi Bar Council in 1983 and subsequently practiced at the Tis Hazari District Court, High Court, and various tribunals. In 2005, he was appointed as an additional judge of the Delhi High Court and was promoted to a permanent judge in 2006. Currently, Justice Khanna serves as the Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority and is a member of the governing council of the National Judicial Academy in Bhopal.
