Justice Surya Kant Poised to Become India’s 53rd Chief Justice

Justice Surya Kant is set to take over as the 53rd Chief Justice of India following a recommendation by current Chief Justice Bhushan R. Gavai. This decision comes as Justice Gavai prepares for his retirement on November 23, 2023. Pending government approval, Justice Kant is expected to assume office on November 24, 2023, and serve until his own retirement on February 9, 2027.

Justice Kant, currently the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court of India, holds significant assets amounting to several crores. According to the Supreme Court’s official website, he and his wife have over INR 8 crore (approximately USD 965,000) in fixed deposits, along with INR 4.23 crore (about USD 510,000) in provident fund deposits. Notably, the couple does not own a vehicle, with Justice Kant’s wife driving a WagonR car.

Details of Assets and Financial Standing

Justice Kant’s assets include a diverse portfolio of properties and investments. Among these are:

– A house in Sector 10, Chandigarh
– Approximately 13.5 acres of agricultural land in Village Golpura, District Panchkula
– A 300-square-yard plot in Sushant Lok-I, Gurugram
– A 500-square-yard plot in Eco City-II, New Chandigarh
– Several houses in Chandigarh and Gurugram, including a 192-square-yard house in Sector 18-C and a 250-square-yard house in DLF-II, Gurugram
– Inherited agricultural land and houses in Hisar

The financial details also reveal 16 fixed deposits amounting to INR 4,11,22,395 (approx. USD 500,000) in Justice Kant’s name, along with additional fixed deposits and provident fund accounts under his wife’s name.

Justice Kant’s Judicial Journey

Born on February 10, 1962, in a middle-class family in Haryana, Justice Kant graduated from Government Post Graduate College, Hisar, before earning his law degree in 1984 from Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak. He began his legal career at the District Court in Hisar and later moved to the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Justice Kant made history as the youngest Advocate General of Haryana on July 7, 2000. He was designated a Senior Advocate in March 2001 and served in that capacity until his appointment as a permanent judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on January 9, 2004. His extensive experience includes representing various universities, corporations, and banks.

He took charge as Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court on October 5, 2018, and was elevated to the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019. Justice Kant also served on the Governing Body of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) for two consecutive terms and is a member of several committees at the Indian Law Institute.

As the new Chief Justice, Kant is expected to uphold the values of justice and equality in India’s judiciary. With Justice Gavai’s formal recommendation now submitted to the government, an official notification regarding Justice Kant’s appointment is anticipated soon.