Institute of Legal and Management Studies

The President has signed the Warrant for the appointment of Justice Surya Kant, the second senior Judge of the Supreme Court, as the Chief Justice of India with effect from November 24, following the retirement of the incumbent Chief Justice of India, BR Gavai, on November 23.

This was confirmed by the Union Minister for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal, who posted, "In exercise of the powers conferred by the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Surya Kant, Judge of the Supreme Court of India as the Chief Justice of India with effect from 24th November, 2025."

The Law Minister conveyed his heartiest congratulations and best wishes to Justice Kant.

Earlier this week, CJI Gavai wrote to the Union Government proposing the name of Justice Surya Kant, the second senior Judge of the Supreme Court, as the next Chief Justice of India.

As the 53rd CJI, Justice Kant will have a tenure till February 9, 2027.

Justice Surya Kant was born on 10 February 1962 in the village Petwar, District Hisar, Haryana. He earned his Law degree from Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak in 1984 and then began his practice the same year at the District Courts, Hisar. In 1985, he shifted to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh, specialising in Constitutional, Service, and Civil matters. On 7 July 2000, he earned the distinction of being appointed the youngest Advocate General of Haryana and was also designated as a Senior Advocate. He served as the Advocate General until his elevation as a permanent Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on 9 January 2004.

As a Judge, he served on the Governing Body of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) from 2007 to 2011 and later earned a First Class First in his Master's degree in Law in 2011. He was appointed as the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court on 5 October, 2018 and thereafter was elevated to the Supreme Court of India on 24 May, 2019. Since 14 May, 2025, he has been the Executive Chairman of NALSA and also serves on several committees of the Indian Law Institute.