Justice Surya Kant Appointed 53rd Chief Justice of India
Why in the news
The Union Law Ministry notified Justice Surya Kant as the 53rd Chief Justice of India on 30 October 2025, after the President’s approval. He succeeds Justice B R Gavai and is due to take the oath on 24 November 2025.
Key facts
- Provision: appointment under Article 124(2) of the Constitution.
- Convention: the outgoing CJI recommends the senior-most Supreme Court judge; this is a custom, not a legal rule.
- Tenure: a CJI holds office until age 65, so there is no fixed term.
- Removal: only by the President after an address in Parliament backed by a special majority in both Houses.
| Career step | Period |
|---|---|
| Advocate-General of Haryana | 7 July 2000 to 8 January 2004 |
| Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court | 9 January 2004 to 4 October 2018 |
| Chief Justice, Himachal Pradesh High Court | 5 October 2018 to 23 May 2019 |
| Judge, Supreme Court | from 24 May 2019 |
About the person
Surya Kant was born on 10 February 1962. He rose from the bar in Haryana to the High Court, then a High Court chief justiceship, before joining the Supreme Court.
Exam angle
- Number 53 and the predecessor, B R Gavai, are the usual question.
- Article 124(2) governs appointment of Supreme Court judges.
- Retirement age of a Supreme Court judge is 65 years.