Justice Surya Kant was sworn in as the 53rd Chief Justice of India on Monday, 24 November 2025. The oath of office was administered by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan, marking the beginning of Justice Kant’s term at the head of the country’s judiciary. He succeeds Justice B.R. Gavai, whose term concluded the previous day.

Justice Kant hails from Hisar, Haryana, and has traversed a distinguished judicial career: from practicing law in district courts to serving as a judge of the Punjab & Haryana High Court, then as Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, and being elevated to the Supreme Court in May 2019. He is known for his involvement in several landmark judgments on constitutional issues, including matters of civil liberties, electoral reforms and the interpretation of state-centre powers.

His tenure as CJI is expected to last approximately 15 months, with his retirement scheduled for 9 February 2027. In

his address after taking the oath, Justice Kant emphasized reducing case backlogs, improving judicial access and strengthening institutional integrity. Senior judges, government dignitaries, foreign judicial representatives and members of the legal fraternity attended the ceremony, signaling strong institutional continuity.

The new Chief Justice faces multiple challenges: clearing the huge pending caseload in the courts, enhancing the speed and transparency of justice, and steering the judiciary through an era of growing technological, social and constitutional complexity.

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