Justice Sanjiv Khanna Appointed as the Next Chief Justice of India

Justice Sanjiv Khanna has been appointed as the next Chief Justice of India (CJI), succeeding the current CJI, Justice DY Chandrachud, who will retire on November 10. Following Justice Chandrachud's recommendation for his successor, President Droupadi Murmu approved Justice Khanna's appointment, which has been officially notified by the central government. Justice Khanna will assume office as the 51st CJI starting November 11, 2023, and will serve until May 13, 2025, marking a tenure of around seven months.

Justice Khanna, who is currently the second-most senior judge in the Supreme Court after Justice Chandrachud, was elevated to the Supreme Court on January 18, 2019, after serving as a judge in the Delhi High Court. He is the nephew of former Supreme Court Justice Hans Raj Khanna, known for his landmark judgments. Justice Sanjiv Khanna, born on May 14, 1960, comes from a family with a rich legal background, as his father, Devraj Khanna, also served as a judge in the Delhi High Court.

Throughout his career, Justice Khanna has delivered significant judgments. Notably, in 2019, he ruled that the office of the CJI is subject to the Right to Information (RTI) Act. He also emphasized the need to control hate speech in the *Amish Devgan vs. Union of India* case. Justice Khanna has handled several high-profile cases, including the Delhi Liquor Policy case, and was involved in constitutional benches for cases such as Article 370 and electoral bonds.

Justice Khanna's appointment is expected to bring his depth of experience to the role of CJI, where he will continue to preside over key legal matters in India.