New Delhi: Justice Sanjiv Khanna took oath as the 51st Chief Justice of India at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday, following the retirement of his predecessor, Justice DY Chandrachud.
President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office to Justice Khanna at a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju, Minister of Power Manohar Lal Khattar, former Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, and other important personages.
Justice Chandrachud, who retired from the post on November 10 at age 65, recommended Justice Khanna’s name. He will serve as the Chief Justice till May 13 next year.
Justice Sanjiv Khanna was born on May 14, 1960, and studied law at the Campus Law Centre of Delhi University. He was a third-generation lawyer before being appointed judge in the Delhi High Court. He also served as the executive chairman of the National Legal Service Authority (NALSA).
Justice Khanna was appointed to the Supreme Court in January 2019. During his tenure as a top court judge, he headed the benches of several politically sensitive cases, including hearing the bail applications of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the liquor policy case.