Justice Surya Kant takes oath as 53 rd CJI; to remain in office for nearly 15 months

Justice Surya Kant, known for his role in several consequential constitutional rulings, was sworn in on Monday as the 53rd Chief Justice of India at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

- OUR CORRESPONDENT

He took over from Justice B R Gavai, who completed his tenure on Sunday. President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office, with the proceedings taking place in the presence of senior dignitaries, including Vice President CP Radhakrishnan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Justice Kant took the oath in Hindi in the name of God.

Appointed on October 30 as the next head of the judiciary, Justice Kant will have a tenure of nearly 15 months and is set to demit office on February 9, 2027 upon turning 65. Following the oath, he walked up to greet Prime Minister Modi. In a post shared later on X, the Prime Minister wrote, "Attended the oath-taking ceremony of Justice Surya Kant as the Chief Justice of India.

Best wishes to him for his tenure ahead,” accompanied by photographs from the ceremony.