LAW IMPACT

Nine CJIs are slated to assume office over the next eight years. Will their brief tenures allow them to leave a lasting mark?

- KANU SARDA

FORMER CHIEF JUSTICE of India (CJI) P. Sathasivam was known for his frank opinions and active presence on Facebook—an unusual trait among judges. Two days before he demitted office on April 26, 2014, he emphasised the importance of discipline and punctuality, saying the values should be ingrained in judges at all levels. A strong proponent of judicial reforms, he was also a vocal advocate for fixed tenures for CJIs.

“I had a tenure of nine months and eight days as CJI. There were many things I wanted to do but couldn't because of the short tenure. The CJI must have a fixed term like some important government functionaries, such as the Union home secretary,” he said in his farewell speech.

Justice Sathasivam, 75, served as the 40th CJI from July 19, 2013, to April 26, 2014. With a career spanning over 18 years, his call for a fixed CJI term reflected the challenges posed by short tenures, which often result in a revolving-door approach to the nation’s highest judicial office.

More than a decade later, his words find resonance as Justice Sanjiv Khanna’s six-month tenure as CJI ends on May 13—making it one of the shortest in recent history. Appointed on November 11, 2024, Khanna, the serving CJI, will have a brief term, dictated by the mandatory retirement age of 65, illustrating the limitation Sathasivam highlighted.

A CJI’s tenure is dictated by their age and date of elevation to the Supreme Court. As per convention, the senior-most judge is appointed as the CJI. While Supreme Court judges retire at 65, the date of a judge’s appointment to the top court plays a crucial role in determining their tenure as CJI rather than just their age.