From Hisar to the Helm: Justice Surya Kant Sworn-In as 53rd Chief Justice of India
Justice Surya Kant has been serving on the roster of the Apex Court since his elevation in May 2019.
Justice Surya Kant took oath as the 53rd Chief Justice of India today, marking the beginning of a nearly 15-month tenure at the helm of the Supreme Court of India.
The oath of office was administered by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and other dignitaries from across the world.
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Justice Surya Kant succeeds Justice B.R. Gavai, who demitted office as the 52nd Chief Justice on Sunday evening after a six-month tenure. Justice Surya Kant will serve as the Chief Justice of India till February 9, 2027, which is when he attains the age of 65.
Born on February 10, 1962, in Petwar village in Hisar district of Haryana, he graduated from Government Post Graduate College, Hisar in 1981 and obtained his law degree from Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak in 1984.
He began his practice at the Hisar district courts in 1984 and later shifted to Chandigarh to practice before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, specialising in constitutional, civil and service law. At the age of 38, he became the youngest Advocate General of Haryana in 2000 and was designated a Senior Advocate the same year.
Justice Kant was officially appointed as a Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on January 9, 2004, and later served as Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court from October 2018. He was elevated to the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019 and has been a key member of the apex court’s roster since.
Justice Kant has also been involved in several initiatives to strengthen legal aid and access to justice through his role as the executive chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), a position he has held since May 2025.
Over his judicial career, Justice Surya Kant has been part of several landmark verdicts. He was on the bench that upheld the abrogation of Article 370, and in another historic decision, directed that the colonial-era sedition law be kept in abeyance until the government reviewed it.
He was part of the seven-judge bench that overruled the 1967 Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) judgment and was also a member of the bench that handled the Pegasus spyware case, ruling that the State cannot get a “free pass under the guise of national security.” His bench also upheld the One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme as constitutionally valid and continues to hear petitions of women officers in the armed forces seeking parity in permanent commission.
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Justice Kant has also notably intervened in administrative reform, directing the Election Commission to disclose the names of 65 lakh voters excluded from Bihar’s draft rolls, reinstating a woman sarpanch who was unlawfully removed from office and even ordered one-third reservation for women in Bar Associations, including the Supreme Court Bar Association.
Known for his measured tone and calm composure, Justice Kant has often emphasised dignity in judicial discourse. At a public event, he once remarked: “Frankly speaking, I call social media ‘unsocial media’; fair criticism is always acceptable, but judges cannot be swayed by online commentary.”
Justice Kant has often been recalled by his colleagues and peers as a jurist who balances compassion with constitutional rigor, delivering reasoning that is often grounded in ensuring practical justice.
Justice Surya Kant’s elevation comes after Justice B.R. Gavai’s brief yet eventful term.
Justice Gavai’s Bench struck down parts of the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021 for undermining judicial independence, introduced SC/ST reservations in Supreme Court staff recruitment and issued directions strengthening judicial service recruitment norms and training. His tenure also saw measures deployed to restore Corbett Park, protect Delhi’s Ridge and the Aravalli Hills and revive conservation efforts in Maharashtra’s sensitive zones.
As the gavel passes to Justice Kant, expectations remain high for a tenure that combines institutional stability with a renewed focus on access to justice and judicial transparency.
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