Justice Surya Kant Sworn in as 53rd Chief Justice of India

Justice Surya Kant took oath as the 53rd Chief Justice of India on Monday, succeeding Justice BR Gavai. President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office at Rashtrapati Bhavan in a ceremony attended by Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, JP Nadda, and other dignitaries. Justice Kant is expected to serve as the head of the judiciary for nearly 15 months, demitting office on February 9, 2027.

Early Life and Education

Born on February 10, 1962, in Hisar, Haryana, Justice Surya Kant hails from a middle-class family. He completed his graduation from Government Post Graduate College, Hisar in 1981 and earned his law degree from Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak, in 1984. Demonstrating academic excellence, he secured the distinction of standing 'first class first' in his Master’s degree in law from Kurukshetra University in 2011.

Legal Career and Judicial Rise

Justice Kant began his legal practice at the district court in Hisar in 1984 and moved to Chandigarh a year later to practice at the Punjab and Haryana High Court. In 2000, he became the youngest Advocate General of Haryana, representing the state in several high-profile matters. He was elevated as a permanent judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2004 and later appointed Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court in 2018. In May 2019, he joined the Supreme Court as a judge.

Landmark Judgments and Contributions

During his tenure on the Supreme Court, Justice Surya Kant has contributed to several landmark verdicts. He was part of the bench that kept the colonial-era sedition law in abeyance, directed a review of the One Rank-One Pension (OROP) scheme for defence personnel, and reinstated a woman sarpanch unlawfully removed from office, highlighting gender bias in governance.

Justice Kant also nudged the Election Commission to disclose details of over 65 lakh voters excluded from Bihar’s draft electoral rolls during the state’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. He has advocated for gender representation in bar associations, directing that one-third of seats, including in the Supreme Court Bar Association, be reserved for women.

On the constitutional front, he was part of the seven-judge bench that overruled the 1967 Aligarh Muslim University judgment, paving the way for reconsideration of the institution’s minority status. Justice Kant also played a key role in the Pegasus spyware case, overseeing the formation of a panel of cyber experts to investigate allegations of unlawful surveillance while emphasizing that the state cannot claim a “free pass under the guise of national security.”

Recognition and Legacy

Known for his meticulous approach and commitment to constitutional values, Justice Surya Kant has earned recognition as a jurist with a “judicially trained mind,” exemplified by his leadership of the committee probing the security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2022 visit to Punjab. His tenure is expected to leave a lasting impact on electoral transparency, gender justice, and constitutional governance in India.

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