Chief Justice Chandrachud recommends Justice Sanjiv Khanna as next CJI

New Delhi, Oct 17: Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud has formally recommended the appointment of Justice Sanjiv Khanna as his successor. The recommendation was made in a letter addressed to the Central government, as reported by Bar & Bench. Justice Khanna, currently the senior-most judge in the Supreme Court after CJI Chandrachud, is expected to assume the role when Chandrachud demits office on November 10, 2024.

Justice Khanna’s tenure as CJI, however, will be relatively brief. He is slated to serve for a little over six months before his retirement on May 13, 2025. His impending elevation comes at a critical time for India’s judiciary, as he will oversee several important cases and decisions during his short tenure.

Justice Sanjiv Khanna’s legal career spans over four decades. Beginning his practice in 1983, Khanna specialised in taxation, arbitration, and commercial law, while also dealing with environmental issues. In 2005, he was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Delhi High Court, and a year later, he was made a permanent judge. His rise to the Supreme Court came in January 2019, marking him as one of the country’s most respected legal minds.

With this recommendation, Justice Khanna is set to become the 51st Chief Justice of India, continuing a legacy of leadership in the nation’s highest judicial office.