Justice Sanjiv Khanna to take oath as 51st Chief Justice of India today

Justice Sanjiv Khanna is set to take the oath as 51st Chief Justice of India today in a ceremony that will be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan at 10 a.m. President Droupadi Murmu will preside over the ceremony and will administer the oath of office to Justice Khanna.

The outgoing CJI, Dhananjay Yashwant Chandrachud, retired on Sunday, making way for Justice Khanna, who will serve a six-month tenure as the Chief Justice. His tenure will end in May 2025.

The Government of India recently issued a formal notification appointing Justice Sanjiv Khanna as the next Chief Justice of India, effective November 11, 2024. The Ministry of Law and Justice confirmed in its notification that the President, under clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, has appointed Justice Khanna to the highest judicial post in the country.

Born on May 14, 1960, Justice Khanna began his legal career in 1983 by joining as an advocate with the Delhi Bar Council. He has experience in a wide range of legal fields, including constitutional law, taxation, arbitration, commercial law, and environmental law. Justice Khanna also worked as senior standing counsel for the Income Tax Department, representing the National Capital Territory of Delhi.

A third-generation lawyer, he was elevated as an additional judge of the Delhi High Court in 2005 and was then made a permanent judge in 2006. Justice Khanna was elevated as a Judge of the Supreme Court on January 18, 2019.
During his tenure at the Supreme Court, he has headed benches for multiple high-profile cases, some of which include hearing for AAP (Aam Aadmi Party) leader Arvind Kejriwal's bail application in the liquor policy case.

Notably, his bench was responsible for granting interim bail to former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in the thick of Loksabha elections 2024.Other significant cases Justice Khanna has overseen as part of the Constitution Bench include the revocation of Article 370 and electoral bonds.

DY Chandrachud leaves office

On his last working day, outgoing Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, became emotional as he reflected on his tenure, saying, "There is no greater feeling than being able to serve those in need."

In his heartfelt farewell speech on Friday, CJI Chandrachud shared his journey from being a law student seated in the back row to presiding over the Supreme Court. He also expressed the honor of serving the nation and highlighted how each day in office offered opportunities for both professional growth and personal development.

Chandrachud follows in the footsteps of his father, Justice YV Chandrachud, who holds the honor of being India's longest serving Chief Justice. During his 8-year-long stint at the Supreme Court, DY Chandrachud has passed over 600 judgements and has been part of more than 1,200 benches.