Justice Sanjiv Khanna Sworn in as 51st Chief Justice of India

Justice Sanjiv Khanna was sworn in as the 51st Chief Justice of India (CJI) on Monday by President Draupadi Murmu. The ceremony, held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, was attended by Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several government ministers, former Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, and current and retired judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts.

Following the oath-taking, Justice Khanna addressed the gathering before heading to the Supreme Court. There, he presided over Court No. 1, the Chief Justice's court, where he began hearing 47 cases alongside Justice Sanjay Kumar.

Justice Sanjiv Khanna's legal journey began in 1983 when he started practicing as an advocate with the Bar Council of Delhi. Initially working at the district courts in Tis Hazari, he later moved to the Delhi High Court and various tribunals. His judicial career culminated in his appointment to the Supreme Court in 2019.

In 2019, he was part of the bench that took suo motu cognizance of media reports regarding sexual harassment allegations against then CJI Ranjan Gogoi. His decision on the Right to Information (RTI) Act, which held that the CJI’s office falls under the ambit of the RTI, is regarded as a landmark judgment.

Justice Khanna also delivered a key ruling in the Amish Devgan case, where he underscored the need to regulate hate speech, emphasizing the importance of balancing freedom of expression with societal harmony.

In 2021, Justice Khanna dissented in a case involving the Central Vista project, arguing that the necessary processes had not been followed. He also played a crucial role in shaping legal precedents, such as allowing irretrievable breakdown of marriage to be considered a ground for divorce under Article 142 of the Constitution.

Justice Khanna has dealt with several politically sensitive cases, including bail applications in the Delhi liquor policy case involving Aam Aadmi Party leaders. His bench refused bail to Manish Sisodia but ensured an expedited trial. In another instance, his bench granted interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to enable his election campaign.

In addition, he was involved in the judgment regarding the verification of Electronic Voting Machines and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails, where his bench directed the Election Commission of India to introduce further safeguards, although it refused the plea for 100% VVPAT verification.

Justice Khanna takes over from Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, who retired on November 10, 2024. Khanna’s tenure as CJI will run until May 13, 2025.