Justice Sanjiv Khanna was sworn in as the 51st Chief Justice of India on Monday, succeeding Justice DY Chandrachud. The ceremony, held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, saw President Droupadi Murmu administer the oath of office to Justice Khanna.
Justice Khanna, who took over the top judicial position, reportedly will prioritize the issue of judicial pendency. According to an Indian Express report, sources said that one of his key objectives as Chief Justice will be to address the backlog of cases in Indian courts. Despite his significant role, Justice Khanna prefers to maintain a low profile, acknowledging the era of social media, in which judges must live with heightened public scrutiny.
Elevated to the Supreme Court on January 18, 2019, Justice Khanna will serve as Chief Justice until his retirement on May 13, 2025, after a tenure of approximately six months. He is among the few judges who were elevated to the Supreme Court even before becoming the Chief Justice of any high court.
Born in 1958, Justice Khanna began his legal career in 1983 as an advocate with the Bar Council of Delhi. He initially practiced in the district courts at Tis Hazari and later moved on to the Delhi High Court and various tribunals.
Throughout his tenure as a judge, Justice Khanna has been part of several high-profile rulings. In one such case, a bench led by him refused to quash an FIR filed against a journalist for comments made during a TV show. The court held that the right to free speech under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution could not override the right of others to listen or decline to listen, thus reinforcing the balance between individual rights.
Justice Khanna has also made his mark in constitutional matters. He was part of the three-judge bench that dealt with petitions challenging the approval for the Central Vista redevelopment project, where he delivered a dissenting opinion. He was also involved in landmark rulings, including those upholding the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution and striking down the 2018 electoral bonds scheme. (With inputs from Indian Express)