Justice Surya Kant is the 53rd Chief Justice of India and the first person from Haryana to hold the office.
About Justice Surya Kant
Justice Surya Kant is the 53rd and current Chief Justice of India, having taken oath on 24 November 2025. He succeeded Justice B.R. Gavai, who served as the 52nd Chief Justice of India, and became the first person from Haryana to occupy the position.
His tenure as Chief Justice is scheduled to run for roughly 15 months, with his retirement due on 9 February 2027. His elevation to the country’s highest judicial office marks the culmination of a legal career spanning practice at the Bar, constitutional offices and judicial positions across the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Himachal Pradesh High Court and Supreme Court of India.
Early Life & Background
Justice Surya Kant was born on 10 February 1962 in Petwar village in Haryana’s Hisar district. He grew up in a middle-class family in which several relatives were involved in teaching. He attended the village school in Petwar before pursuing legal education.
He obtained his LL.B. from Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak, in 1984 and entered the legal profession as a first-generation lawyer. He later pursued an LL.M. from Kurukshetra University, completing it in 2011 and standing first class first.
Career / Rise
Justice Surya Kant began practising law before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, where he represented universities, boards, corporations and banks, among other clients. His career at the Bar soon led to his appointment as Advocate General of Haryana.
On 7 July 2000, at the age of 38, he was appointed the third Advocate General of Haryana under the Om Prakash Chautala government. The appointment followed the sudden resignation of his predecessor, M.L. Sarin. At the time, Justice Surya Kant became the youngest person to hold the post.
His advancement at the Bar continued quickly. He was designated Senior Advocate in March 2001, less than a year after becoming Advocate General. He also served as a Member of the Governing Body of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) for two consecutive terms, from 23 February 2007 to 22 February 2011.
Justice Surya Kant was appointed a Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on 9 January 2004. He later assumed office as Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court on 5 October 2018. On 24 May 2019, he was elevated as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India.
Notable Work / Turning Point
During his tenure as a Supreme Court judge, Justice Surya Kant authored more than 100 judgments and was part of more than 1,400 judgments in total. His judicial work has covered a broad range of legal questions during his years on the Bench.
One notable ruling associated with his judicial career came in the 2014 Jasvir Singh case, in which he upheld the right of prisoners to family life. The decision formed part of his broader judicial record before his elevation to the Supreme Court.
Beyond courtroom work, Justice Surya Kant has remained active in national and international legal conferences and in wider legal discourse throughout his career.
Legacy / Current Standing
As Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant has spoken publicly about the need for greater consistency in judicial decisions across similar cases. He has described the objective as ensuring that decisions have “rhythm like musical notes,” reflecting his emphasis on coherence in precedent.
He has also described mediation as “the easiest solution” and a potential “game-changer” in reducing the burden of litigation. His tenure as CJI began at a time when the Supreme Court had more than 90,000 pending cases as of November 2025.
By virtue of serving as Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant also serves ex officio as Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA). His public engagements have extended beyond the judiciary, including addresses at law school convocations where he has urged graduates to prioritise collaboration, patience and long-term integrity in their careers.
His scheduled retirement on 9 February 2027 gives him a tenure of roughly 15 months as CJI, placing his current tenure within a defined period in which his stated emphasis on consistency, mediation and professional integrity will form part of his public record.
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