CJI Chandrachud proposes Justice Sanjiv Khanna as his successor

New Delhi: Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud has formally recommended Justice Sanjiv Khanna as his successor. 

CJI Chandrachud is set to retire on November 10, 2024.

Given his scheduled retirement on May 13, 2025, Justice Khanna's tenure as CJI will be relatively brief, spanning just over six months.

Justice Sanjiv Khanna, currently the second-most senior judge of the Supreme Court, has been nominated through a letter sent by CJI Chandrachud to the Union government. 

Upon approval by the government, Justice Khanna will assume office on November 11, 2024.

Justice Khanna, who was born on May 14, 1960, brings with him a rich lineage of legal expertise, being related to Justice Hans Raj Khanna, a former Supreme Court judge known for his landmark judgments during the Emergency period in India. 

Before his elevation to the Supreme Court on January 18, 2019, Justice Khanna served with distinction in the Delhi High Court for over 13 years.

His tenure at the Supreme Court has seen him involved in several key decisions, including being part of the bench that upheld the abrogation of Article 370 and struck down the constitutional validity of the electoral bonds scheme. 

Additionally, Justice Khanna has emphasised the reliability of electronic voting machines (EVMs) by dismissing pleas for 100% cross-verification with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), underscoring his faith in India's electoral process.