Justice Sanjiv Khanna on Monday took oath as the 51st Chief Justice of India following the retirement of Justice DY Chandrachud. The ceremony was held at Rashtrapati Bhavan at 10 am. President Droupadi Murmu presided over the ceremony and administered the oath of office to Justice Sanjiv Khanna. The outgoing CJI, Dhananjay Yashwant Chandrachud, retired on Sunday.
The Government of India had issued a formal notification appointing Justice Sanjiv Khanna as the next Chief Justice of India, effective November 11, 2024.
Who Is Sanjiv Khanna?
Justice Sanjiv Khanna was born on May 14, 1960. He began his legal career in 1983 by joining as an advocate with the Delhi Bar Council. He has an expertise and experience in a wide range of legal fields, including constitutional law, taxation, arbitration, commercial law, and environmental law. He also served as senior standing counsel for the Income Tax Department, representing the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
He was elevated as an additional Judge of the Delhi High Court in 2005 and was made a permanent judge in 2006. This marked a significant step in his judicial career. During his tenure, he made notable contributions to the Delhi Judicial Academy, Delhi International Arbitration Centre, and District Court Mediation Centres and played a crucial role in shaping the judicial landscape.
Another remarkable point in his judicial career came when Justice Khanna was elevated as a Judge of the Supreme Court on January 18, 2019. This was significant as he had not served as Chief Justice of a High Court earlier.
In his judicial career till now, Justice Khanna has passed many landmark judgements which included granting interim bail to former Delhi CM and AAP National Convenor, Arvind Kejriwal. During AAP leader Manish Sisodia’s case, he ruled out that that delays in proceedings could serve as a valid ground for granting bail under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
He at present serves as the Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority and is a member of the Governing Council of the National Judicial Academy in Bhopal.
