Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday attended the swearing-in of Justice Surya Kant as the 53rd Chief Justice of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath. Justice Kant, who will serve a tenure of around 14 months, will demit office on February 9, 2027.
Justice Surya Kant takes oath in Hindi
In a notable deviation from recent practice, Justice Surya Kant took his oath in Hindi, invoking God before signing on as the country’s top judge. The event was attended by the Prime Minister, Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, Union ministers, Haryana Chief Minister Naib Singh Saini, Supreme Court judges, and judicial representatives from Bhutan, Kenya, Malaysia, Brazil, Mauritius, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
Soon after the ceremony, the Prime Minister congratulated Justice Kant on social media, writing, “Attended the oath-taking ceremony of Justice Surya Kant as the Chief Justice of India. Best wishes to him for his tenure ahead.”
Journey of the new Chief Justice
Born on February 10, 1962, in Haryana, Justice Surya Kant graduated from Government Post Graduate College, Hisar, in 1981 and completed his law degree from Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak, in 1984. After beginning his practice in Hisar, he shifted to the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 1985.
Over the years, he represented several institutions including universities, Boards, banks and corporations. He became the youngest Advocate General of Haryana on July 7, 2000, and was designated a senior advocate in 2001.
Justice Kant was elevated as a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2004, later serving as Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court from October 2018 until his elevation to the Supreme Court in May 2019.
He has also been part of various legal service bodies. He served on the Governing Body of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) from 2007 to 2011 and has been Chairman of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee since November 2024.
Appointment notification issued in October
The Centre had cleared Justice Kant’s appointment on October 30, acting on the recommendation of former CJI Bhushan R Gavai. A notification issued at the time confirmed that he would assume charge as CJI from November 24, 2025, under Article 124(2) of the Constitution.