New Delhi, Oct 27 (NationPress) Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bhushan R. Gavai has officially put forth the name of Justice Surya Kant to the Centre, marking a significant step towards his succession as the 53rd Chief Justice of India.

This recommendation was made following a request from the Law Ministry for CJI Gavai's insights regarding his successor, as he approaches his retirement on November 23.

Justice Surya Kant, who is the most senior judge of the Supreme Court, is next in line by seniority and is poised to take over following Justice Gavai’s retirement.

Once the Centre issues the formal notification, Justice Kant will be sworn in as the new Chief Justice of India on November 24. He is anticipated to hold this prestigious position until his retirement on February 9, 2027, amounting to a tenure of around 14 months.

Justice Gavai began his term as the 52nd Chief Justice of India in May 2025.

Traditionally, the Law Ministry contacts the sitting Chief Justice a little over a month prior to their retirement to seek recommendations for the next senior-most judge eligible for the role.

Subsequently, the Chief Justice formally recommends the name to the government for ratification.

According to the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) that oversees judicial appointments and transfers, the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court deemed fit for the role should be appointed as the Chief Justice of India.

With CJI Gavai’s recommendation now submitted, the government is anticipated to swiftly announce Justice Surya Kant’s appointment.

Justice Kant was born on February 10, 1962, in a middle-class family in Haryana. He graduated from Government Post Graduate College, Hisar, in 1981, and earned his law degree from Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak, in 1984.

His legal career commenced at the District Court in Hisar in 1984, and he later transitioned to practice at the Punjab and Haryana High Court in Chandigarh in 1985, as noted in Justice Kant’s profile on the Supreme Court’s official website.

Throughout his career, he has specialized in constitutional, service, and civil matters, representing numerous universities, boards, corporations, banks, and even the High Court itself. Justice Kant also holds the distinction of being the youngest Advocate General of Haryana, a title he earned on July 7, 2000.

He was designated as a Senior Advocate in March 2001, serving as Advocate General until his elevation as a permanent judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on January 9, 2004.

Justice Kant has also been a member of the Governing Body of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) for two consecutive terms from February 2007 to February 2011 and is currently part of several committees at the Indian Law Institute, a deemed university under the Supreme Court of India.

On October 5, 2018, Justice Kant took charge as Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court and was elevated to the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019. He has served as the Chairman of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee since November 12, 2024, with a retirement date set for February 9, 2027.