Justice Surya Kant Takes Oath as the 53rd Chief Justice of India

From humble village beginnings to the top court, Justice Surya Kant has handled major cases like Article 370 and citizen rights.

A Historic Oath at Rashtrapati Bhavan

Justice Surya Kant became the 53rd Chief Justice of India (CJI) on Monday morning. President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office to him. This event marks his incredible journey from a Haryana village to India’s highest judicial post. Vice-President CP Radhakrishnan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the ceremony. Several union cabinet ministers were also present to witness this significant moment.

Who is Justice Surya Kant?

Justice Kant was born on February 10, 1962, in Petwar village, Hisar. He studied in local village schools initially. Later, he earned his law degree from Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, in 1984. He started his legal practice at the Hisar district court that same year. He soon moved to Chandigarh to practice at the Punjab and Haryana High Court. There, he specialized in constitutional and civil law. While serving as a judge years later, he completed his master’s degree with first-class honors.

A Rapid Rise in the Judiciary

His rise in the legal field was very fast. In 2000, at age 38, he became the youngest advocate general of Haryana. He was designated a senior advocate the very next year. By 2004, he was elevated as a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He became the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court in October 2018. Finally, he joined the Supreme Court in May 2019.

Key Judgments and Decisions

Justice Surya Kant has written over 300 judgments in the last six years. He was part of the bench that upheld the removal of Article 370. He also delivered the verdict on Section 6A of the Citizenship Act. Recently, his bench granted interim bail to Arvind Kejriwal while confirming his arrest was legal. He also ruled on timelines for governors to approve state bills.

New Initiatives for Soldiers

Justice Kant also serves as the executive chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA). He recently launched the Veer Parivar Sahayata Yojana 2025. This scheme provides free legal help to soldiers, veterans, and their families.