Justice Surya Kant will take oath on Monday as the 53rd Chief Justice of India. He replaces Justice B R Gavai, who retired on Sunday evening. Justice Kant enters the top judicial role after a Supreme Court career marked by several major constitutional rulings, including judgments on Article 370, Bihar’s electoral roll revision, and the Pegasus spyware controversy.

A Long Tenure Ahead

The government appointed Justice Kant as CJI-designate on October 30. He will serve for nearly 15 months and retire on February 9, 2027, when he turns 65.

Rise From Small-Town Lawyer to CJI

Justice Kant was born on February 10, 1962, in Hisar district of Haryana. He grew up in a middle-class family and began his legal journey as a small-town practitioner before rising steadily through the judiciary. He completed his Master’s in Law from Kurukshetra University in 2011, graduating with “first class first”.

Work Across High Courts

Before joining the Supreme Court, Justice Kant served as Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court starting October 5, 2018. Earlier, he delivered several notable judgments as a senior judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Key Supreme Court Interventions

Justice Kant played a crucial role in several nationally significant judgments. He was part of the constitutional bench that upheld the abrogation of Article 370, shaped rulings on free speech, and dealt with citizenship-related issues. His decisions contributed to defining major aspects of contemporary constitutional law.

He also served on the bench that recently heard the presidential reference on the powers of Governors and the President regarding bills passed by state legislatures. The verdict, still pending, is expected to influence how multiple states handle legislative disputes.

Focus on Electoral Transparency

In another important hearing, Justice Kant pressed the Election Commission to explain why 65 lakh voters were missing from Bihar’s draft electoral roll. He issued the direction while examining petitions against the Commission’s Special Intensive Revision ahead of the state’s elections.