Justice Sanjiv Khanna was sworn in as the 51st Chief Justice of India by President Droupadi Murmu at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan on November 11, 2024. He will serve a six-month term following the retirement of Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, who held the position from November 2022 to November 2024.
Born on May 14, 1960, Justice Khanna embarked on his legal career in 1983, practicing as an advocate in Delhi. He gained expertise in constitutional law, taxation, arbitration, commercial law, and environmental law. He also served as Senior Standing Counsel for the Income Tax Department and as Standing Counsel (Civil) for the National Capital Territory of Delhi in 2004.
In 2005, Justice Khanna was appointed as an additional judge of the Delhi High Court, and he became a permanent judge in 2006. He made significant contributions to the judicial and arbitration systems in Delhi, notably through the Delhi Judicial Academy, the Delhi International Arbitration Centre, and District Court Mediation Centres.
Justice Khanna was elevated to the Supreme Court on January 18, 2019, bypassing the typical route of serving as Chief Justice of a High Court. Since then, he has delivered several landmark rulings. Among his notable decisions, he granted interim bail to former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, enabling him to campaign in the Lok Sabha elections. In another important ruling, Justice Khanna allowed bail under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) due to delays in the trial process, in the case of former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.
As Chief Justice of India, Justice Khanna is expected to continue influencing the judicial landscape with his wealth of experience and commitment to progressive judgments.
