Justice Sanjiv Khanna appointed new CJI, oath-taking on November 11
President Droupadi Murmu has formally appointed Justice Sanjiv Khanna as the next Chief Justice of India (CJI). The announcement was made by Union Minister of State for Law and Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal, on X (formerly Twitter). "In exercise of the power conferred by the Constitution of India, Hon'ble President, after consultation with Hon'ble Chief Justice of India, is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Sanjiv Khanna...as Chief Justice of India with effect from 11th November, 2024," Meghwal stated.
Justice Khanna's legal career and key judgments
Justice Khanna will take office on November 11, replacing the current CJI, DY Chandrachud. He will serve for 183 days until his retirement on May 13, 2025. He started his legal career in 1983 and specializes in taxation, constitutional law, arbitration, commercial and environmental matters. He was Standing Counsel (Civil) for Delhi in 2004 and became an Additional Judge at the Delhi High Court in 2005.
Justice Khanna's Supreme Court elevation and philosophy
He became a permanent judge a year later and was elevated to the SC on January 18, 2019. Justice Khanna is known for delivering key judgments, including upholding the abrogation of Article 370 and striking down the Electoral Bonds scheme. He also ruled SC can grant divorce under Article 142 for irretrievable marriage breakdowns. As a judge, he believes in being a "keeper of law" rather than creating it and remarked that "enthusiasm is not a virtue of a Judge."
Justice Khanna's notable rulings and recusals
His bench also dismissed a plea to count VVPAT slips with EVM votes during polls. Ahead of this year's Lok Sabha elections, he declined to stay appointments of new Election Commissioners. He was in the bench that granted interim bail to former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in a money laundering case linked to the Delhi excise policy scam. He also questioned a Mumbai college's burqa ban and partly stayed its notice.
