Justice Khanna Becomes First CJI Without Prior High Court Chief Justice Role

Justice Sanjiv Khanna becomes India’s 51st Chief Justice. The government has approved his nomination, which was recommended by current CJI DY Chandrachud. He will take the oath of office on November 11.

The current  Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud retired on November 10. He began his term as CJI on November 8, 2022.

President Appoints New Chief Justice

The announcement was made on X by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal.

"In exercise of the power conferred by the Constitution of India, Hon'ble President, after consultation with Hon'ble Chief Justice of India, is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Judge of the Supreme Court of India as Chief Justice of India with effect from 11th November, 2024," wrote the minister in the post.

Justice Khanna Will Take Office On

Judge Khanna, the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court after CJI Chandrachud, took over as Chief Justice of India on November 11, 2024. He will hold the position until his retirement on May 13, 2025.

Justice Khanna Career

Justice Khanna started his legal journey in 1983, registering with the Bar Council of Delhi. He began practicing at Tis Hazari district courts before moving to the Delhi High Court, where he gained experience in areas like constitutional law, arbitration, and commercial law. Over the years, he also held important roles as senior counsel for the Income Tax Department and as counsel for the National Capital Territory of Delhi.

In 2005, he was appointed as an additional judge in the Delhi High Court and became a permanent judge in 2006. Justice Khanna took a unique path to the Supreme Court in January 2019, reaching this position without first serving as a high court chief justice, an uncommon route for someone who will become Chief Justice of India.

How Are Chief Justice Appointed?

As per tradition, the law ministry asks the current Chief Justice to recommend their successor about a month before their retirement. Following this process, on October 12, the central government sent an official request to CJI Chandrachud to name his successor. The appointment is guided by the memorandum of procedure (MoP), which states that the senior-most eligible Supreme Court judge must be appointed as the next CJI.

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