Justice Sanjiv Khanna Sworn in as 51st Chief Justice of India

Justice Sanjiv Khanna was sworn in as the 51st Chief Justice of India at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday, following the retirement of Justice DY Chandrachud.

President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju, Minister of Power Manohar Lal Khattar, former Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, and other dignitaries.

Justice Khanna's appointment was recommended by Justice Chandrachud, who retired from the position on November 10 at the age of 65. Justice Khanna will serve as the Chief Justice until May 13, 2025.

Born on May 14, 1960, Justice Khanna studied law at Delhi University's Campus Law Centre. Coming from a family of lawyers, he was appointed as a judge of the Delhi High Court before his elevation to the Supreme Court in January 2019. During his tenure, he presided over several high-profile and politically sensitive cases, including hearing bail applications of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal in the liquor policy case.

Notably, Justice Khanna’s bench granted interim bail to Kejriwal in May and again in July, referring the case to a larger bench to examine the need for additional grounds for arrest under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Justice Khanna has also made significant contributions as part of the Constitution Bench, delivering key judgments on matters such as the revocation of Article 370 and the electoral bonds case. His bench has also addressed important issues regarding electronic voting machines (EVMs) and Voter Verified Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs).

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