Who Is Justice Sanjiv Khanna, New Chief Justice Of India?

Justice Sanjiv Khanna, a senior judge of the Supreme Court, was sworn in as the 51st Chief Justice of India on Monday, November 11, at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office to him at 10 am. He is set to serve a six-month term as Chief Justice.

Justice Sanjiv Khanna, the second-most senior judge of the Supreme Court, was nominated for the position by the outgoing Chief Justice, DY Chandrachud, who retired on November 10 after a tenure beginning on November 9, 2022.

Born on May 14, 1960, Justice Khanna began his legal career in 1983 as an advocate with the Delhi Bar Council. He has gained extensive experience in constitutional law, taxation, arbitration, commercial law, and environmental law.

Justice Khanna also served as Senior Standing Counsel for the Income Tax Department, and in 2004, he was appointed Standing Counsel (Civil) for the National Capital Territory of Delhi.

He was appointed an additional judge of the Delhi High Court in 2005 and became a permanent judge in 2006, marking the start of his significant judicial career.

Throughout his tenure, Justice Khanna made notable contributions to the Delhi Judicial Academy, the Delhi International Arbitration Centre, and the District Court Mediation Centres, playing a crucial role in shaping the judicial landscape.

On January 18, 2019, he was appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court, despite not having served as Chief Justice of a High Court beforehand.

Justice Khanna has made several landmark rulings, including granting interim bail to former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, allowing him to campaign during the Lok Sabha elections.

In another significant decision, Justice Khanna ruled that delays in proceedings could justify granting bail under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), a ruling which was made in a case involving Delhi's former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia.