Justice Surya Kant is set to be sworn in as the 53rd Chief Justice of India (CJI) on Monday, succeeding Justice B.R. Gavai, who retires on Sunday. Justice Kant's appointment, made on October 30, comes with a tenure that extends until February 9, 2027, providing him approximately 15 months to lead the Indian judiciary.

Born on February 10, 1962, in Petwar village, Hisar district, Haryana, Justice Surya Kant's journey to the highest judicial office is one of perseverance and achievement. His father was a Sanskrit teacher, and his mother was a homemaker. He began his legal practice in the district court of Hisar after graduating with an LLB from Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, in 1984. In 1985, he moved to Chandigarh to practice at the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He furthered his education, earning a master's degree in law in 2011 from Kurukshetra University whilst serving as a judge in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Justice Kant's career is marked by several firsts. He was the first lawyer in his family and became the youngest Advocate General of Haryana at the age of 38. In 2004, at 42, he was appointed as a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Before becoming a judge, he was known as a trusted lawyer for service matters, achieving success through hard work. He served as Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court from October 5, 2018, before being elevated to the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019.

During his career, Justice Kant has been involved in several significant cases, shaping constitutional interpretation and civil liberties. As part of a five-judge Constitution Bench, Justice Kant upheld the Union government's 2019 decision to abrogate Article 370, which had granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The bench ruled the move constitutionally valid and within Parliament's powers.

Justice Kant was also part of the bench addressing the Pegasus surveillance allegations. The court appointed a committee of cyber experts to investigate the claims, asserting that the state cannot be given a “free pass in the name of national security". During the hearing of a petition seeking a probe into the alleged use of the Pegasus spyware, Justice Kant stated that there is nothing wrong with a country using spyware; the real question is against whom it is being used and added that the security of the nation cannot be compromised. The bench also noted that any report touching the security and sovereignty of the country would not be disclosed.

Other key judgments and orders include:

• Sedition Law: He was on the bench that effectively suspended the colonial-era sedition law, directing states and the Centre not to register new FIRs under Section 124A IPC until the government completed a reconsideration of the provision.
• Bihar Electoral Rolls Revision: Justice Kant asked the Election Commission to disclose details of 65 lakh deleted voters in Bihar during scrutiny of the Special Intensive Revision process.
• Gender Justice: He led a bench that reinstated a woman sarpanch unlawfully removed from office, flagged gender bias, and mandated one-third reservation for women in bar associations, including the Supreme Court Bar Association.
• One Rank, One Pension Scheme: Kant's bench upheld the validity of the One Rank, One Pension (OROP) scheme for armed forces veterans, affirming the government's policy framework.
• Aligarh Muslim University: He was also on the seven-judge bench that overruled the 1967 AMU verdict, opening the way for reconsideration of its minority status.

Justice Kant's judgments reflect a deep empathy for ordinary citizens and a commitment to upholding constitutional values. His reform-oriented approach and ability to listen have earned him respect from colleagues and the legal community. As he prepares to take office as the 53rd CJI, Justice Surya Kant's tenure is expected to address key constitutional questions and drive judicial modernization forward.