Justice Sanjiv Khanna was on Thursday appointed the 51st Chief Justice of India, succeeding incumbent Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, who retires on 10 November.
Justice Chandrachud took over as the CJI on November 8, 2022. Justice Khanna will have a tenure of a little over six months as CJI and would demit office on May 13, 2025.
The appointment was made by the President of India, after consultation with Chief Justice Chandrachud, in exercise of the powers conferred by the Constitution of India.
"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, Judge of the Supreme Court of India as Chief Justice of India with effect from 11th November, 2024," Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal announced.
During his tenure, Justice Khanna has handled several high-profile cases. These include the Delhi liquor policy case, involving Aam Aadmi Party leaders Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, and Sanjay Singh, as well as the EVM-VVPAT matter. He was also part of the Constitution Bench that decided on Article 370 and Electoral Bonds.
Born on 14 May 1960, Justice Khanna completed his schooling at Modern School, New Delhi, in 1977. He graduated from St. Stephen's College, Delhi, in 1980 and later studied law at the Campus Law Centre of the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi. Before becoming a judge, Justice Khanna practised law in the Supreme Court and Delhi High Court.
Justice Khanna was elevated to the Supreme Court from the Delhi High Court on 18 January 2019. Previously, he served as an additional judge in the Delhi High Court in 2005 and became a permanent judge in 2006.
