Justice Surya Kant will take oath today as the 53rd Chief Justice of India in New Delhi, marking the beginning of his term at the helm of the country’s judiciary. The oath will be administered by the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, following the retirement of Chief Justice Bhushan R. Gavai upon reaching the age of 65.
Justice Surya Kant, born on February 10, 1962, began his legal career in Hisar in 1984. Over the decades, he has held several significant positions — serving as Advocate General of Haryana, being designated a senior advocate in 2001, and being elevated as a judge of the Punjab & Haryana High Court in 2004. He later served as Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court and joined the Supreme Court in 2019.
Ahead of assuming office, Justice Surya Kant outlined key priorities, with a strong focus on reducing the enormous backlog of court cases across India. He intends to collaborate closely with High Courts to identify hurdles affecting the efficiency of district and subordinate courts. Plans are also in motion to set up Constitution Benches of five, seven, and nine judges to handle major constitutional and long-pending matters. Additionally, he has expressed interest in expanding the use of community mediation to reduce litigation burdens.
As of July 21, 2025, India’s judiciary is facing a staggering pendency of nearly 52.9 million cases — approximately 46.5 million in subordinate courts, around 6.33 million in various High Courts, and close to 86,742 cases pending before the Supreme Court.