Justice Sanjiv Khanna Takes Oath as India’s 51st Chief Justice
Justice Sanjiv Khanna Takes Oath as India’s 51st Chief Justice
Justice Sanjiv Khanna was sworn in as the 51st Chief Justice of India on Monday. President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Justice Khanna succeeds Justice DY Chandrachud, who retired on Sunday after a distinguished tenure.
Justice Khanna will serve as Chief Justice until his retirement on May 13, 2025. He has been a Supreme Court judge since January 2019 and has ruled on many important cases, including upholding the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs), the abrogation of Article 370, and scrapping the electoral bonds scheme. He also granted interim bail to AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal during the excise policy case, allowing him to campaign in the Lok Sabha elections.
Born on May 14, 1960, Justice Khanna comes from a prominent legal family in Delhi. His father, Justice Dev Raj Khanna, served as a Delhi High Court judge, while his uncle, Justice HR Khanna, was a celebrated Supreme Court judge. Justice HR Khanna is remembered for his dissenting judgment in the ADM Jabalpur case during the Emergency, which led to his resignation.
Justice Sanjiv Khanna began his legal career in 1983, registering with the Bar Council of Delhi. He practiced at the Tis Hazari district courts before moving to the Delhi High Court. He held the position of senior standing counsel for the Income Tax Department and later became the standing counsel for the National Capital Territory of Delhi in 2004. In 2005, he was appointed as an additional judge of the Delhi High Court and became a permanent judge in 2006.
Justice Khanna aims to expedite case resolution and ensure timely justice during his tenure.
