New Delhi, Nov 24 (NationPress) Justice Surya Kant is set to take the oath today as the 53rd Chief Justice of India (CJI), initiating a 14-month term in the nation's highest judicial position.

The oath will be administered by President Droupadi Murmu, marking the transition from current CJI Bhushan R. Gavai. The appointment of Justice Surya Kant as the next Chief Justice of India was made by the President under the authority of clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution, following a recommendation from CJI Gavai.

Justice Gavai retired from the CJI's position on Sunday upon reaching the age of 65, adhering to the customary practice of appointing the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court as his successor.

Born on February 10, 1962, in a modest family in Haryana, Justice Surya Kant began his legal career in Hisar in 1984 before relocating to Chandigarh to practice at the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Throughout his career, he tackled a wide range of constitutional, service, and civil issues, representing educational institutions, boards, corporations, banks, and even the High Court.

In July 2000, he became the youngest Advocate General of Haryana, was designated as a senior advocate in 2001, and was appointed as a permanent judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on January 9, 2004.

Following this, he served as Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court from October 2018 until his elevation to the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019.

Since November 2024, he has held the position of Chairman of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee.

In a recent media interaction before assuming his role, the CJI-designate expressed that his primary focus will be on addressing the backlog of cases in the Supreme Court and other courts across India.

One of his initial actions as Chief Justice will involve collaboration with all High Courts to pinpoint challenges impacting the operation of district and subordinate courts.

Justice Surya Kant also revealed plans to establish Constitution Benches of five, seven, and nine judges in the coming weeks to tackle significant matters that have been pending for a considerable time.

Stressing the importance of enhancing alternative dispute resolution methods, he stated, "Mediation must be effectively implemented to alleviate the burden of millions of cases." He advocated for community mediation to minimize conflicts, particularly between state governments and between the Centre and the states.

"A supportive environment is essential for this," he remarked.

When questioned about the potential use of AI to help reduce case backlogs, Justice Surya Kant acknowledged the challenges and issues associated with it. "While there are benefits, concerns remain. It could assist in procedural matters, but ultimately, everyone prefers their case to be resolved by a judge," he commented.

According to official data from the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) up to July 21, Indian courts are currently facing an overwhelming total of 5.29 crore pending cases. This includes 4.65 crore cases in district and subordinate courts, 63.30 lakh in High Courts, and 86,742 before the Supreme Court.