The Union government has begun the official process to appoint the next Chief Justice of India (CJI), as the incumbent Justice BR Gavai’s term is set to end on November 23. Justice Surya Kant, currently the senior-most judge after Gavai, is likely to be named the next CJI.
Beginning the formal process, the law ministry has written to CJI Gavai, requesting him to recommend his successor. As per the rules, the Chief Justice recommends his successor about a month before the end of their tenure.
Notably, the appointment of the Chief Justice follows the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP), which sets out how judges are appointed, transferred, or promoted in the Supreme Court and high courts. The document says that the senior-most Supreme Court judge is recommended to become the next Chief Justice if deemed fit for the post.
Who is Justice Surya Kant?
Born on February 10, 1962, Justice Surya Kant is currently a senior judge of the Supreme Court and, if appointed, will be the 53rd Chief Justice of India. Before his elevation to the top court, he practised as a senior advocate and also served as the Advocate General of Haryana.
He graduated from Government Post Graduate College, Hisar, in 1981 and received his law degree from Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak, in 1984. He began his legal practice at the district court in Hisar in 1984 and moved to Chandigarh the following year to practise at the Punjab and Haryana high court.
{{/usCountry}}He graduated from Government Post Graduate College, Hisar, in 1981 and received his law degree from Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak, in 1984. He began his legal practice at the district court in Hisar in 1984 and moved to Chandigarh the following year to practise at the Punjab and Haryana high court.
{{/usCountry}}In 2018, he was appointed Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh high court and began his term at the Supreme Court in 2019. Justice Surya Kant will retire on February 9, 2027.
Since he started practising at the Supreme Court, he has reportedly participated in over 1,000 verdicts covering constitutional law, human rights, and more. Justice Kant also served on the five-judge constitution bench that upheld the abrogation of Article 370 in 2023.
He holds other important posts, including Visitor of the National University of Study and Research in Law, Ranchi, and is also the ex officio Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA).