Justice Sanjiv Khanna sworn-in as 51st Chief Justice of India

President Droupadi Murmu on Monday administered the oath of Justice Sanjiv Khanna as the 51st Chief Justice of Supreme Court of India, after Justice D Y Chandrachud retired on Friday.

Former CJI Chandrachud had proposed Justice Khanna to take over as the next Chief Justice of India. His tenure, however, will be brief, lasting for six months, as he is scheduled to retire on May 13, 2025.

Owing to his short tenure as CJI, Justice Khanna had told TOI that he would not shift to the CJI's official bungalow at 5, Krishna Menon Marg and would function from his present official residence.

Who is Justice Sanjiv Khanna?

Born on May 14, 1960, Justice Sanjiv Khanna has had a distinguished legal career spanning over four decades. Enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council of Delhi in 1983, he initially practiced in the District Courts at Tis Hazari and later in the Delhi High Court and various tribunals.

His expertise covered a wide range of fields including constitutional law, taxation, arbitration, commercial law, company law, and environmental law.

Justice Khanna served as Senior Standing Counsel for the Income Tax Department and was appointed Standing Counsel (Civil) for the National Capital Territory of Delhi in 2004.

He also appeared in criminal cases as an Additional Public Prosecutor and amicus curiae in the Delhi High Court.

Elevated to the Delhi High Court in 2005, he became a permanent judge in 2006. He played key roles as Chairman of the Delhi Judicial Academy and the Delhi International Arbitration Centre. On January 18, 2019, he was elevated to the Supreme Court of India.

Currently, Justice Khanna serves as the Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority and is a member of the Governing Council of the National Judicial Academy, Bhopal. He previously chaired the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee from June to December 2023.

CJI Chandrachud's two-year tenure concludes

Justice Chandrachud was appointed as the CJI in 2022 for two years, making it one of the longest terms for a CJI in the recent past.

He is the son of former Supreme Court judge Y.V. Chandrachud, who was the longest serving CJI for being in office for about seven years.

An alumnus of Campus Law Centre, Delhi University, Justice Chandrachud played a key role in introducing virtual hearings during the Covid time, which has now become a permanent feature. He has been part of the landmark judgments on Ayodhya title dispute, decriminalisation of homosexuality, adultery, privacy, entry of women into Sabarimala etc.

He was first appointed as judge of the Bombay High Court on March 29, 2000.

He has also served as Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court since October 31, 2013 until his elevation as an apex court judge on May 13, 2016.