The central government has officially notified the appointment of Justice Sanjeev Khanna as the next Chief Justice of India, set to take effect on November 11. This appointment comes in the wake of the retirement of the current Chief Justice, DY Chandrachud, on November 10.
Justice Khanna will become the 51st Chief Justice of India. The Ministry of Law and Justice issued a notification confirming that, under clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution, the President has appointed Justice Sanjeev Khanna, currently serving as a Supreme Court judge, as the new Chief Justice.
Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal announced the appointment on social media, saying, “In exercise of the power conferred by the Constitution of India, the President, after consultation with the Chief Justice of India, is pleased to appoint Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Judge of the Supreme Court of India as Chief Justice of India with effect from November 11, 2024.”
The outgoing Chief Justice Chandrachud recently recommended Justice Khanna as his successor, marking a significant transition in the Indian judiciary. As the second-most senior judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Khanna is expected to serve a six-month term, concluding in May 2025.
Born on May 14, 1960, Justice Khanna began his legal career after enrolling as an advocate with the Bar Council of Delhi in 1983. He initially practiced in district courts before advancing to the Delhi High Court, where he dealt with various areas of law, including constitutional law, taxation, arbitration, commercial law, company law, land law, environmental law, and medical negligence.
Justice Khanna has held several notable positions, including senior standing counsel for the Income Tax Department and representing the National Capital Territory of Delhi as standing counsel. He served as Additional Public Prosecutor and amicus curiae in the High Court before being elevated to the Delhi High Court as an Additional Judge in 2005, becoming a Permanent Judge in 2006.
He was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court on January 18, 2019, despite ranking 33rd in the national seniority of High Court judges, following a recommendation based on merit and integrity by the Supreme Court Collegium, led by then Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi.
(Inputs from ANI)
