CJI Gavai recommends Justice Surya Kant as 53rd Chief Justice of India
The recommendation has been sent to the Union Law Ministry, in keeping with established procedure.
A file image of Justice Surya Kant. (Photo:X)
New Delhi, Oct 27: Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai has formally recommended Justice Surya Kant as his successor, setting the stage for his appointment as the 53rd Chief Justice of India.
Justice Surya Kant, currently the second senior-most judge of the Supreme Court, is expected to assume office on November 24, a day after CJI Gavai retires on November 23.
The recommendation has been sent to the Union Law Ministry, in keeping with established procedure.
As per the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP), the document that governs the appointment and elevation of judges, the sitting Chief Justice recommends the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court deemed fit to take over the role.
The Law Ministry had earlier written to CJI Gavai, requesting the name of his successor, prompting the latest communication.
Justice Surya Kant was elevated to the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019, and, if appointed, will serve as CJI for over 1.2 years before his retirement on February 9, 2027. The retirement age for Supreme Court judges is 65.
Born in 1962, Justice Surya Kant graduated from Government Post Graduate College, Hisar, in 1981 and obtained his law degree from Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak, in 1984.
He began his legal practice the same year at the District Court in Hisar before moving to the Punjab and Haryana High Court in Chandigarh in 1985.
In 2011, he earned his Master’s degree in Law with First Class First distinction from Kurukshetra University through distance education.
Justice Kant was appointed Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court on October 5, 2018, before being elevated to the Supreme Court in May 2019.
He currently serves as the Visitor of the National University of Study and Research in Law, Ranchi, and is the ex officio Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA).
If appointed, Justice Surya Kant will become the 53rd Chief Justice of India, continuing the convention of seniority in the country’s highest judiciary.
With inputs from PTI