New Delhi, 17 October, 2024: Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud has put forward the name of Justice Sanjiv Khanna, the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court, to the Central Government for the position of the next Chief Justice of India (CJI).
This recommendation follows a formal request from the government last month, which sought Chandrachud’s input on his successor, according to inputs.
In a letter sent to the Central Government on Wednesday, CJI Chandrachud suggested Justice Khanna’s appointment in accordance with the Memorandum of Procedure for the appointment of the CJI and Supreme Court judges. J
ustice Khanna is poised to take over from Justice Chandrachud, who is scheduled to retire on November 10 after serving two years as CJI.
Justice Khanna has played a major role in key Constitution Bench rulings, including those affirming the BJP government’s abrogation of Article 370 and the annulment of the electoral bonds scheme.
He was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court on January 18, 2019, and is expected to serve a six-month term as CJI, retiring on May 13, 2025.
Traditionally, the CJI has recommended the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court as a successor. However, this convention has been overlooked twice in the past: Justice AN Ray was appointed as CJI on April 25, 1973, despite three senior judges, and Justice MH Beg was appointed on January 29, 1977, superseding Justice HR Khanna.
Following his recommendation of Justice Khanna, CJI Chandrachud will be unable to convene Collegium meetings for appointing judges to the Supreme Court and High Courts.
Justice Khanna, born on May 14, 1960, enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council of Delhi in 1983. He began his career in the District Courts at Tis Hazari in Delhi before moving on to the High Court of Delhi, where he practiced in various fields, including constitutional law, direct taxation, arbitration, commercial law, company law, land law, environmental law, and medical negligence.
He became an additional judge of the Delhi High Court in 2005 and was appointed a permanent judge in 2006. During his tenure at the Delhi High Court, he held leadership positions, including Chairman of the Delhi Judicial Academy and the Delhi International Arbitration Centre.
Justice Khanna was elevated to the Supreme Court in January 2019 and is recognized as an expert in taxation matters.
Also, he served as the Chairman of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee from June 17, 2023, until December 25, 2023. Currently, he is the Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority and a member of the Governing Council of the National Judicial Academy in Bhopal.
