Monday morning has witnessed a notable moment when Justice Sanjeev Khanna sworn as a the 51st Chief Justice of India. The ceremony occurred in the presence of esteemed Supreme Court judges and members of Media, where he promised to uphold the Constitution.
Justice Khanna was born on January 30, 1960 in New Delhi. He has built a remarkable thirty-year long career in law.Coming from the law background, son of the former Judge of Delhi High Court, Khanna has completed his graduation in law (LLB) law from prestigious University of Delhi. In the year 1985, he commenced law practice by admitting in bar and it did not take long for him to get notable in the area of tax, corporate, and constitutional law. He has delivered some noteworthy judgements on critical issues like safeguarding environment, ensuring women’s right, protection against sexual harassment in workplaces and enhancing corporate accountability.
It was the year of 2005 when he was appointed as a judge of the Delhi High Court and his career took a fruitful begun. He is known for his excellence in understanding complex legal principles which could be shown in his landmark judgments passed in the past. He has been an integral part of major Supreme Court decisions like removal of article 370, and electoral bond scheme.
He takes over from Justice Dhannanjay Yashwant (DY)Chandrachud, who retired from his post as Chief Justice of India on November 10 at the age of 65 years. Justice Chandrachud had been in service for 8-year in the Supreme Court and two years as 50th Chief Justice of India. He is known for his keen observational skills and progressive thinking. He was involved many landmark cases including, Ram Mandir and Babri Masjid dispute, same sex marriage, and abolition of Article 370. His final order was on “bulldozer justice”
On November 11 at 10:30 am IST under the administration of President of India, Draupadi Murmu the oath taking ceremony was inaugurated. The ceremony took place at Rashtrapati Bhawan, the official residence of the Prime Minister, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers, and various legal luminaries. Justice Khanna will be serving as Chief Justice of India for next six months and demit office on May 13, 2025.
Talking to True To Life News, Alisha, a law student from DU said, “As a law student, I have belief in Justice Sanjiv Khanna as our new Chief Justice of India. His past expertise in legal background and commitment to justice is his strengths and gives me confidence in him. I believe Justice Khanna’s tenure will bring necessary changes and will make our legal system more transparent.”
The Indian Judiciary has gone through a tremendous evolution since its establishment. Over 37 million pending cases and a huge backlash because of delays and inefficiency in procedure is calling for an urgent need for transformation in the system.The role of the Chief Justice of India as the head of Indian Judiciary and the Supreme Court is not only to be responsible for influencing the trajectory of justice delivery but also overseeing judicial administration. CJI is also known as the ‘Master of the Roster’, meaning that it has the power to constitute benches to hear cases in the Supreme Court. Thus, the CJI holds an immense power to shape the judiciary system of India.
Justice Sanjeev Khanna in his early years of his career, he has contributed to numerous landmark judgements. Also, his principles, judicial philosophy and unwavering commitment to the constitution has created high expectations from him. He is expected to introduce a more people oriented approach in his tenure. Justice Khanna’s oath as 51st Chief Justice of India heralds the promise of progressive change, promising future and dedication to justice.