Justice Surya Kant Takes Oath as 53rd Chief Justice of India

Justice Surya Kant was sworn in as the 53rd Chief Justice of India on Monday at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath, which Justice Kant took in Hindi. His term as the Chief Justice will continue till 9 February 2027.

The ceremony was attended by several dignitaries, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, former CJI BR Gavai, former President Ram Nath Kovind, and other Union Ministers.

Early Life and Legal Journey

Justice Surya Kant was born on 10 February 1962 in Petwar village, Hisar district, Haryana. He completed his law degree from Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak, in 1984 and began practising the same year at the Hisar District Courts.

In 1985, he shifted to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, where he specialised in Constitutional, Service, and Civil matters. He achieved a major milestone on 7 July 2000 when he became the youngest Advocate General of Haryana and was simultaneously designated a Senior Advocate. He remained in this role until he was elevated as a permanent judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on 9 January 2004.

Judicial Career

Justice Kant served on the Governing Body of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) from 2007 to 2011. During this time, he pursued his Master’s degree in Law and secured a First Class First in 2011.

He was appointed Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court on 5 October 2018, and later elevated to the Supreme Court of India on 24 May 2019.

Since 14 May 2025, he has been the Executive Chairman of NALSA, while also contributing to various committees of the Indian Law Institute.