Justice Sanjiv Khanna to take oath as India’s 51st Chief Justice today
Justice Sanjiv Khanna will be sworn in as the 51st Chief Justice of India, succeeding Justice Chandrachud, focusing on judicial reforms and case backlog.
Justice Sanjiv Khanna is set to take the oath as the 51st Chief Justice of India (CJI) on Monday in a ceremony presided over by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The ceremony, scheduled for 10 am, marks a new chapter for India’s judiciary as justice Khanna succeeds justice Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, who retired on November 10 after a distinguished two-year tenure, marked by significant judicial advancements, especially in deciding constitutional matters, technological modernisation and accessibility.
The Union government announced justice Khanna’s appointment on October 24, 2024, a week after justice Chandrachud formally recommended him as his successor, in line with constitutional norms.
Speaking to HT on Saturday, justice Chandrachud expressed confidence in justice Khanna’s ability to lead the judiciary forward, describing him as an “extraordinary, seasoned judge with extensive experience in both law and administration”. Justice Chandrachud shared his assurance that “the future of the institution is in safe hands”, underlining his confidence in justice Khanna’s commitment to upholding justice, integrity, and the rule of law.
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Justice Khanna’s judicial career spans over four decades. Enrolling with the Bar Council of Delhi in 1983, he started his practice in the Tis Hazari district courts of Delhi before advancing to the Delhi High Court. He served as senior standing counsel for the Income Tax Department and as standing counsel for the National Capital Territory of Delhi. Elevated to the Delhi high court in 2005, he became a permanent judge in 2006, and, in a unique trajectory, ascended to the Supreme Court in January 2019 without serving as a chief justice of any high court.
Throughout his tenure at the Supreme Court, justice Khanna has delivered landmark judgments that have reshaped the legal landscape. His recent decision on the constitutionality of the electoral bond scheme emphasized transparency in political funding, underscoring the rights of voters to know the sources of funding in elections. He was also part of the bench that upheld the 2019 abrogation of Article 370, affirming the integration of Jammu and Kashmir with India. Earlier, Justice Khanna supported electronic voting machine (EVM) integrity, rejecting demands for reverting to paper ballots and emphasising the role of EVMs in preventing electoral malpractice.
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During the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, justice Khanna granted interim bail to then Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in a politically sensitive case, illustrating his balanced approach to cases involving high-profile figures and complex political dynamics.
In addition to his judicial achievements, justice Khanna’s legacy is intertwined with a family history of judicial integrity. He hails from an illustrious legal lineage; his father, justice Dev Raj Khanna, served in the Delhi high court, and his uncle, justice HR Khanna, is celebrated as one of the most principled figures in Indian judicial history who is remembered for his courageous dissent in the ADM Jabalpur case during India’s Emergency in 1976 -- a stance that cost him the position of CJI but cemented his place as a defender of fundamental rights. While the majority verdict in this case affirmed the abrogation of fundamental rights during the Emergency, justice HR Khanna declared the move unconstitutional and against the rule of law.
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The incoming CJI also served as the executive chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), where he led initiatives to improve justice accessibility, particularly for underprivileged communities. His term as CJI, though brief -- ending on May 13, 2025 --comes with expectations that he will focus on addressing judicial reforms, strengthening judicial independence and furthering legal services and access across the nation. One of his primary challenges will be addressing the pendency of cases, a concern that has weighed heavily on the Indian judicial system. He is expected to explore innovative strategies, such as case categorization and technology integration, to expedite case disposals without compromising on the quality of justice delivered.
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