(MENAFN- Live Mint) President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office to Justice Khanna as the 51st Chief Justice of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday.
Justice Khanna succeeded Chief Justice DY Chandrachud , who retired on Sunday.
Who is Justice Khanna?
Born on May 14, 1960, Justice Khanna completed his law studies at the prestigious Campus Law Centre of Delhi University. Before his elevation to the Supreme Court, he was actively involved in public service, including his role as the executive chairman of the National legal Services Authority (NALSA).
Justice Khanna's legal journey began in 1983, when he enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council of Delhi. He started his practice at the District Courts in Tis Hazari and later moved to the Delhi High Court. He also served as the senior standing counsel for the Income Tax Department and as standing counsel (Civil) for the National Capital Territory of Delhi in 2004. Additionally, he has argued several criminal cases at the Delhi High Court, both as an additional public prosecutor and as amicus curiae.
At 64 years old, Justice Khanna is set to serve a brief six-month tenure, with his retirement scheduled for May 13, 2025.
Landmark judgements by Justice Khanna
Justice Khanna, who has served as a Supreme Court judge since January 2019, has played a pivotal role in several landmark rulings that have shaped Indian law. Notably, he was part of the bench that upheld the integrity of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), scrapped the controversial electoral bonds scheme, and supported the abrogation of Article 370, which revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status.
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Additionally, Justice Khanna was responsible for granting interim bail to former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal during the excise policy scam cases, a significant legal decision in Indian political history.
Hailing from a distinguished legal lineage, Justice Khanna is the son of former Delhi High Court judge Justice Dev Raj Khanna and the nephew of the renowned Supreme Court judge HR Khanna.
Justice Sanjiv Khanna, as he is formally known, is the third generation of his family to enter the legal profession. He is widely recognized for his commitment to reducing judicial pendency and accelerating the pace of justice delivery in India.
Justice Khanna 's judicial career is marked by his leadership in critical cases. He was part of the five-judge bench that upheld the 2019 Centre's decision to abrogate Article 370. He also led the bench that granted interim bail to Arvind Kejriwal, allowing him to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections amidst legal proceedings related to the excise policy.
(With inputs from PTI)
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