Justice Surya Kant To Succeed CJI BR Gavai; Set For A Tenure Of Just Over A Year

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bhushan Ramakrishna Gavai has formally recommended Justice Surya Kant to succeed him as the next Chief Justice of India.

According to PTI, the recommendation has been conveyed to the Union Law Ministry, marking the initiation of the formal process for the transition in the country’s highest judicial office.

Justice Kant, currently the senior-most judge after CJI Gavai, is widely regarded as the natural successor under the long-standing convention of appointing the senior-most eligible judge to the post. Upon elevation, he will become the 53rd Chief Justice of India.

CJI Gavai had earlier confirmed his intention to recommend Justice Kant, highlighting the judiciary’s commitment to “continuity, seniority and institutional stability.”

The Centre had recently begun the process to appoint the next CJI, as Justice Gavai is scheduled to retire on 23 November 2025.

Justice Gavai, elevated to the Supreme Court in May 2019, assumed charge as Chief Justice in May 2025.

During his tenure, he has been part of over 700 benches across diverse domains including constitutional, civil, criminal, and environmental law, and has authored around 300 judgments, many of which are regarded as key constitutional rulings safeguarding citizens’ rights.

Justice Surya Kant, who joined the Supreme Court on 24 May 2019, currently serves as Chairman of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee.

Born in Hisar, he graduated from Government Post Graduate College, Hisar, and earned his law degree from Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak.

Before joining the apex court, he served as the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court and was previously the youngest Advocate General of Haryana.

Justice Kant is due to retire on 9 February 2027. His appointment is expected to be formalised following the established judicial procedure.

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