Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud has formally recommended Justice Sanjiv Khanna, the second-most senior judge of the Supreme Court, as his successor. This recommendation was made in a communication addressed to the Union government. Chief Justice Chandrachud, who is set to retire on November 10, has named Justice Khanna to follow him as the next Chief Justice of India.
Once the government approves the nomination, Justice Sanjiv Khanna will become the 51st Chief Justice of India. He is expected to serve a brief tenure of approximately six months, concluding on May 13, 2025, before he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 65.
This succession process follows the long-standing convention within India’s judiciary, whereby the outgoing Chief Justice nominates the second-most senior judge of the Supreme Court as their replacement. The Union government then formalizes the appointment based on this recommendation.
Justice Chandrachud assumed the position of Chief Justice of India on November 9, 2022, and has since been an influential figure in the Indian judiciary, presiding over several key cases and delivering landmark verdicts. The Supreme Court mandates that all judges retire by the age of 65, with Chandrachud’s term ending just one day short of his 65th birthday.
Justice Sanjiv Khanna’s Judicial Journey
Born on May 14, 1960, Justice Sanjiv Khanna enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council of Delhi in 1983. He initially practiced law in the district courts at Tis Hazari and later expanded his practice to the Delhi High Court and various tribunals. His judicial career began in 2005 when he was elevated to the position of Additional Judge of the Delhi High Court, followed by a permanent judgeship in 2006.
Justice Khanna’s rise to the apex court came on January 18, 2019, when he was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court. Over the years, he has been part of various important cases, contributing significantly to Indian jurisprudence.
A Legacy of Judicial Leadership
CJI D.Y. Chandrachud, born on November 11, 1959, is recognized as one of India’s most prominent jurists. He was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court in May 2016 and previously held the position of Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court from 2013 to 2016. His judicial career began at the Bombay High Court, where he served from 2000 to 2013.
Educated at Delhi University and Harvard University, Chandrachud’s legal expertise was further honed through his work with prominent legal firms such as Sullivan & Cromwell, as well as his tenure as a lawyer in the Bombay High Court. Over his career, he has played a crucial role in shaping the course of Indian law. Among the notable cases he has presided over are the verdicts on the electoral bond scheme, the Ram Janmabhoomi dispute, the Sabarimala temple case, the same-sex marriage case, and the revocation of Article 370, which stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its special status.
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