November 25, 2025
Daily Current Affairs for UPSC : 25 Nov 2025/ Justice Surya Kant : 53rd Chief Justice of Indi
Why in News? Justice Kant was sworn in as the 53rd Chief Justice of India (CJI).1He took the oath of office at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, administered by President Droupadi Murmu.
- Significance: His appointment marks the beginning of a crucial tenure, during which he has set the reduction of the 90,000+ pending cases in the Supreme Court as his foremost priority.3
About Chief Justice Kant:
| Aspect | Key Facts |
| Full Name | Justice Surya Kant |
| New Designation | 53rd Chief Justice of India (CJI) |
| Tenure | He will hold office for nearly 15 months, until his retirement on February 9, 2027. |
| Previous Roles | Judge of the Supreme Court (since May 2019), Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, and the youngest Advocate General of Haryana. |
| Judicial Philosophy | Known for advocating for “Indianness” in courts by drawing reasoning primarily from Indian laws and precedents. He favors a non-confrontational approach, nudging disputes (like the farmers’ agitation) towards resolution. |
| Landmark Decisions | He was part of the benches that gave key rulings on: |
| * Upholding the abrogation of Article 370 (removing J&K’s special status). | |
| * Holding the Electoral Bonds scheme unconstitutional. | |
| * Keeping the colonial-era sedition law in abeyance. | |
| * The Pegasus spyware case, stating the state cannot get a “free pass under the guise of national security.” | |
| Recent Advisory | Days before taking oath, he was part of a Presidential Reference Bench that advised the President and Governors are not bound by specific court-imposed timelines for acting on State Bills. |
Constitutional Provisions to Elect/Appoint the CJI:
The Indian Constitution provides the framework for the appointment of the Chief Justice of India, though the detailed procedure is guided by convention and the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP).4
| Provision | Constitutional Article/Convention | Explanation |
| Appointing Authority | Article 124(2) | Every Judge of the Supreme Court (including the CJI) is appointed by the President of India. |
| Consultation | Article 124(2) | The President makes the appointment after consultation with such of the Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts as the President deems necessary. |
| Qualification | Article 124(3) | A person must be a citizen of India and either: (a) A High Court Judge for at least 5 years; OR (b) A High Court Advocate for at least 10 years; OR (c) A distinguished jurist in the opinion of the President. |
| Age Limit | Article 124(2) | A Supreme Court Judge/CJI holds office until they attain the age of 65 years. |
| Procedure/Convention | Seniority Principle | By a long-standing convention and as laid down in the MoP, the senior-most Judge of the Supreme Court considered fit to hold the office is recommended as the next CJI by the outgoing CJI. |
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