Justice K G Balakrishnan to be the next CJI

New Delhi, Dec 21 (UNI) Justice K G Balakrishnan is all set to take over as the next Chief Justice of India on January 14 next year.

Justice Balakrishnan who is the senior most judge after the present Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal, will be the first Dalit Chief Justice of India.

He shall take over as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court on January 14 next year when the present Chief Justice retires.

Justice Balakrishnan will remain Chief Justice of India till 2010.

The senior most judge of the apex court takes over as the Chief Justice of India and since Emergency days this custom has not been disturbed.

In 1975, three senior-most judges of the Supreme Court had resigned in protest when Justice A N Ray was made the Chief Justice of India superseding the three senior most judges of the top court and since than the government had gone by the seniority in elevating the senior-most judge as the Chief Justice of the country.

The Supreme Court will reopen on January 3 after winter vacations.

UNI AKS/SC RP AT KN1908