Justice Surya Kant Takes Oath as 53rd Chief Justice of India: Pledges to Reduce Case Backlogs and Reform Judicial System

Justice Surya Kant is set to be sworn in today as the 53rd Chief Justice of India.

President Droupadi Murmu will administer the oath of office to Justice Kant, who will begin his 14-month tenure as the country's top judicial officer. He succeeds Chief Justice Bhushan R. Gavai, who completed his term on Sunday upon reaching the retirement age of 65.

The appointment comes following the recommendation of outgoing CJI Gavai, maintaining the established convention of nominating the Supreme Court's most senior judge as the next Chief Justice. President Murmu made the appointment under the constitutional powers vested in Article 124(2).

Born on February 10, 1962, in Haryana to a middle-class family, Justice Kant embarked on his legal career in Hisar in 1984. He later moved his practice to Chandigarh, appearing before the Punjab and Haryana High Court on constitutional, service, and civil matters, representing various institutions including universities, boards, corporations, and banks.

His distinguished career includes serving as the youngest Advocate General of Haryana in July 2000, receiving senior advocate designation in 2001, and being appointed as a permanent judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in January 2004. Justice Kant later served as Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court from October 2018 until his elevation to the Supreme Court in May 2019.

Since November 2024, he has chaired the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee.

During a recent media interaction, Justice Kant outlined his priorities, emphasizing the reduction of case backlogs across all levels of the judiciary. He plans to engage with High Courts nationwide to identify challenges affecting district and subordinate courts' functioning.

The incoming Chief Justice announced plans to constitute Constitution Benches of five, seven, and nine judges "in the next few weeks" to address long-pending important matters. He also highlighted the importance of strengthening alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, stating that "Mediation will also be implemented effectively to reduce the burden of millions of cases." He particularly stressed the value of community mediation for resolving disputes between state governments and between the Centre and states.

When questioned about artificial intelligence's potential in reducing case backlogs, Justice Kant acknowledged both advantages and concerns: "It can be used in procedural matters. However, everyone wants their case to be decided by a judge."

According to the National Judicial Data Grid, Indian courts currently face a staggering 5.29 crore pending cases as of July 21. This includes 4.65 crore cases in district and subordinate courts, 63.30 lakh in High Courts, and 86,742 in the Supreme Court.