CJI Bhushan Gavai Recommends Justice Surya Kant as His Successor; To Become the 53rd Chief Justice of India

New Delhi: Chief Justice of India Bhushan Gavai has formally recommended Justice Surya Kant as his successor. The recommendation was sent to the Central Government on Monday (October 27) through an official letter. Once the government issues a formal notification, Justice Surya Kant will assume office as the 53rd Chief Justice of India (CJI) on November 23, following Justice Gavai’s retirement.

Justice Surya Kant will serve as CJI until February 9, 2027.

According to sources, Chief Justice Gavai also shared a copy of his recommendation letter with Justice Surya Kant. Earlier, on October 23, the government had written to CJI Gavai requesting him to send the formal recommendation, following the long-established tradition where the outgoing Chief Justice recommends his successor.

Who is Justice Surya Kant?

Born on February 10, 1962, in Hisar, Haryana, Justice Surya Kant hails from a middle-class family. He completed his postgraduate degree in 1981 from Government College, Hisar, and earned his law degree in 1984 from Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak. He began his legal practice at the Hisar District Court, later moving to Chandigarh in 1985 to practice at the Punjab and Haryana High Court, specializing in constitutional, civil, and service matters.

He was appointed as a Permanent Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on January 9, 2004, and went on to serve as the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court from October 5, 2018. Justice Surya Kant was elevated to the Supreme Court of India on May 24, 2019. Since November 12, 2024, he has also been serving as the Chairman of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee.

With nearly two decades of experience in the Supreme Court, Justice Surya Kant has been part of several landmark judgments on crucial issues such as Article 370 abrogation, freedom of expression, democracy, corruption, environment, and gender equality.