Justice Surya Kant Likely to Be the Next Chief Justice of India, CJI Gavai Recommends His Name

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): India is set to get a new Chief Justice of India (CJI) after the retirement of Chief Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai. According to sources, CJI Gavai has recommended Justice Surya Kant as his successor. Justice Gavai is scheduled to retire on November 23, after taking charge from Justice Sanjiv Khanna.

CJI Gavai Sends Recommendation to Centre

As per official information, CJI Gavai has sent his recommendation to the Central Government, proposing Justice Surya Kant as the next Chief Justice of India. Based on seniority, Justice Surya Kant will become the 53rd CJI of India. The government is expected to issue a formal notification regarding his appointment soon. Justice Surya Kant will serve as CJI for approximately 14 months and will retire on February 9, 2027.

According to a report by Hindustan Times, CJI Gavai will soon hand over a copy of his recommendation letter to Justice Surya Kant as well. The Centre had earlier requested CJI Gavai to recommend the name of his successor. In an interview, CJI Gavai stated that Justice Surya Kant is “fully qualified and deserving” for the position.

Profile of Justice Surya Kant

Born on February 10, 1962, Justice Surya Kant completed his graduation from Government Post Graduate College, Hisar (Haryana) in 1981 and obtained his LLB degree from Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak in 1984. He began his legal career as an advocate at Hisar District Court in 1984 and moved to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh a year later.

In 2000, he was appointed as the Advocate General of Haryana and was designated as a Senior Advocate in 2001. That same year, he was elevated as a Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. In 2018, he became the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, and in 2019, he was appointed to the Supreme Court of India.

Key Judicial Contributions

Throughout his judicial career, Justice Surya Kant has delivered several landmark judgments, including his notable role in the five-judge Constitution Bench that upheld the abrogation of Article 370. He has been associated with over 1,000 cases involving constitutional law, human rights, and public interest litigation.