GUWAHATI: Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud has recommended Justice Sanjiv Khanna for appointment as the 51st Chief Justice of India.
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This recommendation follows the established Memorandum of Procedure for appointing a new CJI, where the Law Ministry seeks the outgoing CJI’s recommendation to initiate the appointment process.
Justice Khanna is presumably next in line to assume the position based on seniority norms. Born on May 14, 1960, he enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council of Delhi in 1983. He initially practised in district courts and later in the Delhi High Court, handling a wide range of legal areas including constitutional law, direct taxation, arbitration, and environmental law.
Before his elevation to the judiciary, Justice Khanna also has prior experience serving as a senior standing counsel for the Income Tax Department and as standing counsel for the National Capital Territory of Delhi. He was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Delhi High Court in 2005 and became a Permanent Judge in 2006.
In January 2019, Justice Khanna was finally appointed to the Supreme Court. Notably, he was selected by the Collegium, led by then CJI Ranjan Gogoi, over others ranked higher in seniority, based on his merit and integrity.
Justice Khanna is expected to assume office as CJI following CJI Chandrachud’s retirement. The latter’s tenure as the Chief Justice of India will continue until his retirement on May 13, 2025.
