Justice Surya Kant appointed next Chief Justice of India, succeeds Justice BR Gavai, oath on November 24

JUSTICE Surya Kant has been appointed as the next Chief Justice of India, succeeding CJI Justice BR Gavai.

Justice Surya Kant, who is currently serving as a senior judge of the Supreme Court, will be sworn in on November 24. Justice Surya Kant will assume charge as the 53rd Chief Justice of India following Justice Gavai’s retirement on November 23.

The Department of Justice in the Union Law Ministry issued a notification announcing his appointment. Justice Surya Kant will be the chief justice for nearly 15 months. He will demit office on February 9, 2027 on attaining the age of 65 years.

Minister of Law and Justice of India Arjun Ram Meghwal announced Justice Surya Kant's appointment as the 53rd Chief Justice on X.

He said, “In exercise of the powers conferred by the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Surya Kant, Judge of the Supreme Court of India as the Chief Justice of India with effect from 24th November, 2025. I convey my heartiest congratulations and best wishes to him.”
Who is Justice Surya Kant?

Born on February 10, 1962, in Haryana’s Hisar district to a middle-class family, Justice Surya Kant was elevated to the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019.

Justice Surya Kant graduated from Government Post Graduate College, Hisar, in 1981. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Law in 1984 from Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak. After completing his Bachelor's, Justice Kant started practising law at the District Court, Hisar in 1984.

In 1985, Justice Kant shifted to Chandigarh to practice in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He specialised in Constitutional, Service and Civil matters. He also represented some Universities, Boards, Corporations, Banks and the High Court itself.

According to the Supreme Court of India website, Justice Surya Kant earned the distinction of being appointed the youngest Advocate General of Haryana on July 7, 2000.

“Designated as Senior Advocate in March 2001. Held the office of Advocate General, Haryana, till his elevation as a permanent Judge to the Punjab and Haryana High Court on January 09, 2004. Was nominated as a Member of the Governing Body of National Legal Services Authority on February 23, 2007 for two consecutive terms till February 22, 2011.”

“Earned another distinction of standing First Class First in his Master’s degree in Law in 2011 from the Directorate of Distance Education, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra. Assumed charge of the office of the Chief Justice of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh with effect from 05th October, 2018.”

He was elevated as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India on May 24, 2019.

Justice Kant was part of the historic bench that kept the colonial-era sedition law in abeyance, directing that no new FIRs be registered under it until a government review.

He also nudged the Election Commission to disclose details of 65 lakh excluded voters in Bihar, showing his commitment to electoral transparency.