India’s Chief Justice B.R. Gavai is scheduled to retire on November 23, 2025, bringing an end to his tenure marked by judicial transparency and efforts to bring improvements in the justice system of the country. As per the established framework under the Memorandum of Procedure, the outgoing Chief Justice will recommend his successor to the government.
Following this, CJI Gavai has formally recommended Justice Surya Kant as the next Chief Justice of India. If approved by the Centre, Justice Kant will take oath on November 24, 2025, as the 53rd Chief Justice of India till February 9, 2027.
Who Is Justice Surya Kant
According to the Supreme Court of India, Justice Surya Kant was born on February 10, 1962, at Hisar, Haryana, into a middle-class family. He graduated from Government Post Graduate College, Hisar, in 1981 and earned his Bachelor’s degree in Law in 1984 from Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak.
He started practising law at the District Court, Hisar in 1984. Then, he shifted to Chandigarh in 1985 to practice in the Punjab and Haryana High Court and specialised in Constitutional, Service, and Civil matters. Justice Kant represented a number of banks, universities, and the High Court itself.
On July 7, 2000, he was appointed as the youngest Advocate General of Haryana. Further, in March 2001, he was designated as the Senior Advocate. Justice Kant performed the duties of Advocate General in Haryana until January 9, 2004, when he was promoted as a permanent judge to the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Further, Justice Surya Kant was nominated as a member of the governing body of the National Legal Services Authority on February 23, 2007, till February 2011, marking nomination and tenure for two consecutive terms.
As the Supreme Court of India highlights, “he earned another distinction of standing First Class First in his Master’s degree in Law in 2011 from the Directorate of Distance Education, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra.”
Further, he “has also organised and attended various prestigious National/International Conferences. Assumed charge of the office of the Chief Justice of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh with effect from 05th October, 2018.”
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What Makes Justice Surya Kant A Strong Contender?
Justice Kant’s elevation isn’t simply a matter of seniority. It reflects his consistent commitments towards law and order, administrative efficiency, and judicial reforms. With his impressive contribution and legal insights, Justice Kant stands out as the strongest contender to fill the shoes of the 53rd Chief Justice of India.
As quoted by Hindustan Times, Chief Justice Gavai described Justice Kant as “suited and competent in all aspects to take the helm,” strongly believing that Justice Kant “will prove to be an asset to the institution as its head.”
Reflecting on their shared background, Justice Gavai said, “Like me, Justice Kant also belongs to the class in society that has seen struggles at every stage in life, which makes me confident that he would be best suited to understand the pain and sufferings of those who need the judiciary to protect their rights.”
Some Of His Landmark Verdicts
Justice Kant has contributed to various verdicts that have proved to be landmarks of his unblemished tenure.
Article 370: Justice Kant was a part of the Constitution Bench that upheld the central government’s decision to abrogate the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370, back in December 2023. The state of Jammu and Kashmir was then divided into two Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, as per the government’s decision on August 5, 2019.
Bihar Election Commission: Justice Kant also asked the Election Commission to continue to consider Aadhaar and voter cards for enumeration and ruled that the court could always step in, in case of any illegality.
Other notable judgments: In the judgment of Jitendra Singh v. Ministry of Environment and Ors, he noted that ponds were public utilities meant for use by the common people. He held that schemes that extinguished water bodies violate Article 21 of the Constitution.
Justice Kant was a part of the Supreme Court Bench headed by Justice Indu Malhotra to inquire into the case when PM Narendra Modi was stuck on a highway for over 20 minutes, suggesting a potential security breach. Several such judgments have marked the tenure of Justice Surya Kant.
Justice Surya Kant’s judicial career reflects fairness and a disciplined approach towards justice. As India awaits its 53rd Chief Justice, Justice Kant’s well-balanced judgments and efficiency make him the right fit.
Images: Google Images
Sources: Supreme Court of India, The Indian Express, Hindustan Times
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This post is tagged under: Justice Surya Kant, Chief Justice of India, CJI Gavai, Supreme Court of India, Judiciary, Article 370 Verdict, Indian Law News, Legal Reforms India, Surya Kant Profile, CJI Appointment 2025, Indian Judiciary Updates
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