In a letter to the Union Law Ministry, Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud nominated Justice Sanjiv Khanna, the second-highest ranking Supreme Court judge, as new CJI.
Once he receives the government approval, Justice Khanna will take office as India's 51st Chief Justice. He will serve as the Chief Justice of India for a tenure of six months before retiring on May 13, 2025.
CJI Chandrachud Retiring
As per protocol, the government wrote to CJI Chandrachud last week asking him to designate his successor in office. Justice Chandrachud is scheduled to retire on November 10.
Who is Justice Sanjiv Khanna?
Justice Khanna was born in May of 1960. He became an advocate in 1983 after registering with the Delhi Bar Council. He started at Delhi's Tis Hazari complex's District Courts and made his way up to the Delhi High Court and tribunals.
He served as the Income Tax Department's Senior Standing Counsel for a lengthy period of time before being named Standing Counsel (Civil) for Delhi's National Capital Territory in 2004. While in Delhi High Court he also argued several criminal cases, serving as an Additional Public Prosecutor and an amicus curiae (a court-appointed advisor).
Justice Khanna’s Tenure at Delhi High Court
In 2005, he was promoted to the rank of additional judge in the Delhi High Court, and in 2006, he was appointed as a permanent judge. In addition to serving as a judge in the Delhi High Court, Justice Khanna was also the chairman and judge-in-charge of the Delhi Judicial Academy, the Delhi International Arbitration Center, and the District Court Mediation Centers.
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Supreme Court Appointment
On January 18, 2019, he was promoted to the rank of Supreme Court Judge. Justice Khanna is one of the few individuals who was promoted to the Supreme Court prior to holding the position of Chief Justice in any High Court.
From June 17, 2023, to December 25, 2023, he served as Chairman of the Supreme Court Legal Service Committee. Currently, he is the Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority and a member of the Governing Counsel of the National Judicial Academy, Bhopal.
Key Cases Handled by Justice Khanna
- Journalist FIR Case: Justice Khanna led a bench that decided not to quash the FIR against a journalist for comments made during a TV show. The bench ruled that Article 19(1)(a) (freedom of speech) cannot be used to undermine the fundamental right protected by Article 21 (right to life). It reasoned that while one has the right to speech, others have the freedom to listen or not.
- Central Vista Redevelopment Project: As one of the three judges on the bench hearing petitions against the Central Vista redevelopment project, Justice Khanna offered a dissenting opinion in the case.
- Constitution Bench Decisions:
- Article 370 Repeal: Justice Khanna participated in the decision that upheld the repeal of Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
- Electoral Bonds Case: He was part of the bench that ruled against the 2018 electoral bonds program, declaring it invalid.
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