CJI Chandrachud Recommends Justice Sanjiv Khanna As His Successor

New Delhi: Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud has set in motion the appointment process for his successor by recommending the name of justice Sanjiv Khanna , the most senior judge in the top court, to the Central governmentAfter an eventful two-year tenure as the head of Indian judiciary during which he revolutionized the functioning of judicial system and delivered several landmark judgments , CJI Chandrachud is scheduled to retire on November 10. His recommendation to Centre paves the way for justice Khanna to take over as the 51st CJI on November 11.Centre had last Friday written to CJI Chandrachud to name his successor keeping as per the memorandum of procedure.Justice Khanna’s tenure as CJI will last for 6 months as he is scheduled to retire on May 13, 2025.Elevated to the Supreme Court in January 2019, Justice Khanna comes from a distinguished legal lineage, being related to the esteemed judge Hans Raj Khanna, who resigned from his apex court judgeship during the emergency. Before ascending to the apex court, Justice Khanna served as a judge in the Delhi High Court for 14 years starting from 2005. Renowned for his expertise in taxation and other commercial laws, he has authored several significant judgments over the past two decades.The Bench led by Justice Khanna recently made headlines when it granted regular bail to AAP MP Sanjay Singh and interim bail to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in the Delhi Liquor scam.In April 2024, Justice Khanna authored a judgment dismissing a plea for 100% cross-verification of votes cast in electronic voting machines (EVMs) with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), emphasising the sanctity of EVMs and trust in the Election Commission of India (ECI).In March, his bench rejected an application seeking a stay on laws regarding the appointment of election commissioners, citing the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and the lack of convenience in granting a stay. He also criticised the government for hurriedly appointing election commissioners.Additionally, Justice Khanna was part of the bench that struck down the constitutional validity of the electoral bonds scheme and upheld the abrogation of Article 370, among other notable judgments.