Who Is Justice Sanjiv Khanna, India's 51st Chief Justice?

Justice Sanjiv Khanna took oath as the 51st Chief Justice of India on November 11, succeeding DY Chandrachud who retired the previous day President Dorupadi Murmu administered the oath at a swearing-in ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The occasion saw Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former Chief Justices, sitting and retired Supreme Court judges, and other distinguished figures. CJI Khanna will serve a tenure of six months ahead of his retirement in May 2025. 

CJI Sanjiv Khanna's Legacy

CJI Sanjiv Khanna was born on May 14, 1960, in Delhi. His father, Dev Raj Khanna, served as a Judge of the Delhi High Court, and his uncle Hans Raj Khanna was also an influential Supreme Court Judge, renowned for his role in establishing the Basic Structure Doctrine in the Kesavananda Bharati case.

#WATCH | Delhi: Justice Sanjiv Khanna took oath as the 51st Chief Justice of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan in the presence of President Droupadi Murmu, PM Narendra Modi and other dignitaries. pic.twitter.com/PbFsB3WVVg

— ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2024

CJI Khanna finds his roots in Amritsar, Punjab. His grandfather Sarav Dayal was a celebrated lawyer of his time and was included in the Congress committee formed for the Jallianwala Bagh incident of 1919. Even today, CJI Khanna makes it a point to visit Katra Sher Singh every time he is in the city, where his ancestral home was.

The house was built by Sarav Dayal pre-Independence and holds a special legacy. In 1947, the house was desecrated and set on fire. But later, his grandfather got it restored. CJI Khanna visited the house when he was about five years old. According to sources, after the death of Sarav Dayal, the house was sold in 1970.

Legal Career

CJI Khanna's legal career started in 1983. He was appointed as a Judge of the Delhi High Court in June 2005 and promoted to the Supreme Court of India in January 2019. He has overseen several landmark cases over his career, particularly those concerning the Right to Information (RTI) and freedom of speech.

CJI Khanna has served as the Chairman and Judge-in-charge of several key institutions, including the Delhi Judicial Academy, the Delhi International Arbitration Centre, and the District Court Mediation Centres. He is also the ex officio Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA).

Key Cases

One of CJI Khanna's most notable rulings is an Enforcement Directorate case involving Delhi's former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. In July 2024, he and Justice Dipankar Datta enabled the Aam Aadmi Party leader to receive interim bail and campaign during the Lok Sabha elections.  

CJI Khanna also played a key role in an important ruling concerning former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. In July 2024, he emphasised that delays in legal proceedings could serve as a valid reason for granting bail under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

CJI Khanna was also part of a five-judge bench that recently declared the electoral bond scheme unconstitutional. The SC bench ordered that anonymous donations through these bonds infringe upon the public's right to information, which is essential for informed voting.

The newly-appointed Chief Justice of India also supported the upholding of the abrogation of Article 370, stating that while it represented a unique aspect of India’s federal structure, it did not grant sovereignty to Jammu and Kashmir. The Union Territory recently concluded Assembly elections.