New Delhi: Justice Surya Kant was sworn in as the 53rd Chief Justice of India (CJI) on Monday, succeeding Justice B.R. Gavai. President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Appointed on October 30, Justice Kant will serve a tenure of nearly 15 months, retiring on February 9, 2027. His elevation marks the latest transition in the leadership of the Indian judiciary.
Born on February 10, 1962, in Petwar village of Hisar district, Justice Kant earned his law degree from Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak, in 1984. He began his legal practice in Hisar before moving to the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 1985, where he gained recognition as an eminent service, constitutional, and civil lawyer.
He served as Advocate General of Haryana from July 7, 2000, until his elevation as a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on January 9, 2004. Justice Kant has also been a two-term member of the National Legal Services Authority (2007–2011) and is associated with several national and international NGOs and legal bodies.
