Politics

Justice Sanjiv Khanna Sworn in as 51st Chief Justice of India, Succeeding DY Chandrachud

An exciting new era in Indian court history began Monday with the swearing-in of Justice Sanjiv Khanna as the country’s 51st Chief Justice. At Rashtrapati Bhavan, President Droupadi Murmu conducted the oath ceremony. Justice Khanna takes over this position after Justice DY Chandrachud’s term ended last Friday, when colleagues from the Supreme Court and lower courts around the nation gave him a heartfelt send-off.

On October 24, the Ministry of Law and Justice formally confirmed Justice Khanna’s appointment after Justice Chandrachud’s recommendation on October 16. Justice Khanna, who is 64 years old, will serve as Chief Justice for six months, ending on May 13, 2025.

A Legacy of Impactful Judgments

Over his judicial career, Equity Sanjiv Khanna has made various significant decisions. He was a critical figure in the choices that maintained the cancellation of Article 370, which gave Jammu and Kashmir extraordinary status, and the dubious electing bonds program. Furthermore, in a memorable decision that maintains the authenticity of the popularity-based process, Justice Khanna approved the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in elections.

Justice Khanna also chaired a court that gave Delhi’s then-chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, an Aam Aadmi Party leader, temporary bail so he could run for Lok Sabha during the excise policy scam trials.

An Esteemed Legal Legacy

The judicial career of Justice Khanna is built on a remarkable family tradition from Delhi. In 1976, during the Emergency, his uncle, Justice HR Khanna, resigned after voicing a daring dissenting opinion in the ADM Jabalpur case. His father, Justice Dev Raj Khanna, was a judge in the Delhi High Court.

Justice Khanna started specializing in legal matters in 1983 at the Tis Hazari district courts before continuously ascending to the Delhi High Court, where he was the standing counsel (civil) for the Public Capital Domain of Delhi and the senior standing advice for the Personal Assessment Division. In 2005, he was affirmed as an extremely durable appointed authority in the Delhi High Court, and on January 18, 2019, he was selected to the High Court.