Rehan Khan
Justice Sanjiv Khanna sworn in as the 51st Chief Justice of India (CJI) on 11th November at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office. With a tenure of approximately six months, Justice Khanna will serve as CJI until his retirement on May 13, 2025, succeeding Justice DY Chandrachud.
Justice Khanna, who began his legal career in 1983 specializing in areas such as taxation, constitutional law, and commercial disputes, was elevated to the Supreme Court in January 2019. His tenure in the apex court has been marked by several landmark judgments. Notably, he was part of the Constitution Bench that upheld the abrogation of Article 370, a move that integrated Jammu and Kashmir more fully into the Indian Union. He also contributed to the decision to strike down the Electoral Bonds scheme, criticizing it as a violation of constitutional principles of transparency and equality.
Justice Khanna’s decisions reflect his commitment to transparency and accountability. In 2019, he authored the judgment that brought the office of the Chief Justice under the ambit of the Right to Information Act, emphasizing that “public interest in accountability outweighs concerns over confidentiality.”
In politically sensitive cases, he presided over bail applications related to the Delhi liquor policy case, involving Aam Aadmi Party leaders, granting interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Member of Parliament Sanjay Singh. Additionally, Justice Khanna’s bench refused a petition for 100% verification of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips but urged the Election Commission to enhance safeguards in the electoral process.