Who Is Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Recommended By CJI Chandrachud As His Successor?

Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud has written a letter to the Union Law Ministry, recommending Justice Sanjiv Khanna as his successor.

DY Chandrachud's tenure will come to an end in November. He had occupied the top position in the Indian judiciary on November 9, 2022.

Who Is Sanjiv Khanna?

He is the second-most senior judge of the Supreme Court after the outgoing DY Chandrachud. He had a distinguished legal career spanning several decades. He started his journey as an advocate with the Bar Council of Delhi in 1983. Initially, he practiced in district courts at the Tis Hazari complex before moving on to the Delhi High Court and various tribunals.

Justice Sanjiv Khanna has had a distinguished legal career spanning several decades. He began his journey by enrolling as an advocate with the Bar Council of Delhi in 1983. Initially, he practiced in district courts at the Tis Hazari complex before moving on to the Delhi High Court and various tribunals.

Throughout his career, Justice Khanna has held several significant positions. He served as the Senior Standing Counsel for the Income Tax Department and, in 2004, became the Standing Counsel (Civil) for the National Capital Territory of Delhi. He also took on roles as an Additional Public Prosecutor and amicus curiae in criminal cases at the Delhi High Court. His judicial career began in 2005 when he was appointed as an additional judge of the Delhi High Court, and he became a permanent judge in 2006.

Justice Khanna's contributions extend beyond the courtroom. He has served as the Chairman/Judge-in-charge of the Delhi Judicial Academy, Delhi International Arbitration Centre, and the District Court Mediation Centres. On January 18, 2019, he was elevated to the Supreme Court, notably without having served as Chief Justice of a High Court, which is an unusual trajectory.

Currently, Justice Khanna serves as the Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority and is a member of the Governing Council of the National Judicial Academy in Bhopal.

Justice Khanna has been part of several high-profile cases. In one case involving a journalist's remarks during a television show, a bench headed by him ruled that Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech, cannot be used to undermine the fundamental rights guaranteed by Article 21, which protects life and personal liberty.

Justice Khanna also played a crucial role in clearing the Central Vista Project, a controversial redevelopment project in New Delhi. Additionally, he was part of Constitutional benches that upheld the abrogation of Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and struck down the electoral bonds scheme used for political donations.