Justice Surya Kant will be sworn in on Monday as the 53rd Chief Justice of India, succeeding Justice B R Gavai, who demitted office on Sunday evening. His elevation marks the beginning of a tenure that will run until February 9, 2027, when he turns 65.
Justice Kant was appointed CJI-designate on October 30 and will serve nearly 15 months as the head of the judiciary.
Who is Justice Surya Kant?
Born on February 10, 1962, in Haryana’s Hisar district, Justice Kant grew up in a middle-class family and began his legal career as a small-town practitioner. His professional journey saw a steady and notable rise, leading to his appointment to the Supreme Court, where he became part of several nationally significant constitutional decisions.
He completed his Master’s degree in law from Kurukshetra University in 2011, securing “first class first”.
Judicial Career of Justice Surya Kant Before Joining the Supreme Court
Before joining the apex court, Justice Kant served as Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court from October 5, 2018. At the Punjab and Haryana High Court, he authored several important judgments, further cementing his reputation as a meticulous and progressive jurist.
Notable Judgment at the Supreme Court by Justice Surya Kant
During his tenure in the Supreme Court, Justice Kant was associated with several major constitutional rulings. These included judgments on:
The abrogation of Article 370
The revision of Bihar’s electoral rolls
The Pegasus spyware matter
Recent Judgments by Justice Surya Kant
His contributions helped shape emerging jurisprudence on free speech, citizenship, and federal powers.
Justice Kant was also part of the Bench hearing the recent presidential reference concerning the scope of the Governor’s and President’s authority over bills passed by state legislatures. The court’s decision, still awaited, is expected to have wide-ranging consequences for multiple states.
In another notable proceeding, Justice Kant directed the Election Commission to provide details on the 65 lakh voters omitted from Bihar’s draft electoral rolls. The instruction came during hearings on petitions questioning the Commission’s move to conduct a Special Intensive Revision of the voters list ahead of state elections.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
