Justice Dipak Misra sworn in as Chief Justice of India

NEW DELHI:Justice Dipak Misra was sworn in as the 45th Chief Justice of India by President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday morning. He reached court at 10.30 am sharp and it was business as usual for the new CJI.

Justice Misra assumes office at a time when the court has received a lot of public appreciation for a string of recent high-profile rulings. The bar has been set high for him, with Constitution benches striking down instant triple talaq and upholding a citizen’s fundamental right to privacy.

Some equally important cases are likely to be decided during Justice Misra’s stint. He is in the middle of wrapping up a hearing on the contentious Cauvery water sharing issue between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.


He is expected to deal with WhatsApp’s new privacy policy, which will raise some more fundamental issues regarding a citizen’s right to privacy vis-a-vis a non-state actor.

The Ayodhya title suit, another vexed issue which has had the country divided on religious lines, will also be decided by Justice Misra. The suit will decide who owns the land on which the Babri masjid stood.

The Allahabad high court had in a ruling in 2010 divided the land between the claimants in 2:1 ratio. Both sides have challenged this in the SC.

Hearing in the case is tentatively scheduled to begin anytime early next year. The court will fix a firm date for final hearing of the case in December.