metro india news  I hyderabad

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy attended the oath-taking ceremony of Justice Surya Kant as the Chief Justice of India (CJI) at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Monday.

During the event, the Chief Minister extended his heartfelt congratulations to Justice Surya Kant on assuming office and wished him a distinguished and impactful tenure at the helm of the judiciary. The occasion marked a significant moment in India’s judicial history, celebrating the ascension of a jurist renowned for his landmark judgments and unwavering commitment to justice.

Justice Surya Kant, who has had a distinguished legal career, succeeded Justice B. R. Gavai and became the 53rd Chief Justice of India. He is expected to serve in this role for nearly 15 months, until his retirement on February 9, 2027, upon reaching the age of 65. The swearing-in ceremony was a grand and solemn affair, with President Droupadi Murmu administering the oath of office.

The event saw a distinguished assembly of dignitaries, including former Chief Justice B. R. Gavai, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, several Union Ministers, Chief Ministers from various states, senior Supreme Court judges, eminent lawyers, and other notable figures. Following the ceremony, Justice Surya Kant officially assumed charge as the Chief Justice of India, marking the beginning of tenure anticipated to shape the country’s judicial landscape.

Born on February 10, 1962, in a middle-class family in Hisar district, Haryana, Justice Surya Kant began practicing law in 1984. Over the decades, he steadily rose through the judicial ranks, gaining recognition for his judicious reasoning and landmark rulings.

His tenure as a judge has included participation in several significant cases, including being part of the Constitution Bench that delivered the verdict on the abrogation of Article 370, which brought him into the national spotlight as a jurist of depth and foresight. Before his elevation to the Supreme Court, Justice Kant made notable contributions at the Punjab and Haryana High Court and was appointed Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court on October 5, 2018. 

During his tenure in the Supreme Court, Justice Kant has delivered critical judgments on matters of national importance. He was part of the bench overseeing the presidential reference on the powers of the Governor and President in dealing with bills passed by state assemblies, a verdict with far-reaching implications.

He played a key role in keeping the colonial-era sedition law in abeyance, directing that no new FIRs be registered under it pending government review. He also emphasized transparency in electoral processes, prompting the Election Commission to disclose details of voters excluded from draft electoral rolls in Bihar.