Justice Surya Kant, a sitting judge of the Supreme Court, has been appointed as the 53rd Chief Justice of India (CJI). He will take charge on November 24, 2025, succeeding Justice BR Gavai, who is set to retire a day earlier on November 23.
The appointment was formally approved by the President following the recommendation of outgoing CJI Gavai, in keeping with established convention. Justice Kant will serve as CJI until February 9, 2027, giving him a tenure of around 15 months.
Born on February 10, 1962, in Petwar village of Hisar district, Haryana, Justice Kant earned his law degree from Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak, in 1984 and began his legal practice in the Hisar district court the same year. He later shifted to the Punjab and Haryana High Court in Chandigarh in 1985, where he specialized in constitutional, civil, and service law.
Justice Kant was appointed Advocate General of Haryana in 2000, becoming the youngest to hold the position. He was designated a Senior Advocate in 2001 and elevated as a Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2004. In 2018, he became Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, and the following year, he was elevated to the Supreme Court of India.
During his tenure at the apex court, Justice Kant has been part of several significant benches dealing with constitutional matters and governance issues. Legal observers describe him as a judge known for his clear reasoning and progressive approach.
Justice Kant’s tenure as CJI will come at a crucial time for the judiciary, as the Supreme Court faces challenges such as case backlogs, judicial digitization, and key constitutional issues.
