(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Nov 24 (IANS) After Justice Surya Kant assumed office as the 53rd Chief Justice of India (CJI), the Centre notified the nomination of Supreme Court judge Justice Vikram Nath as the new Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA).

“In exercise of the powers conferred under Clause (b) of sub-section (2) of Section 3 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, the President is pleased to nominate Hon'ble Mr. Justice Vikram Nath, Judge, Supreme Court of India, as Executive Chairman, National Legal Services Authority, with effect from 24.11.2025,” said a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice.

Justice Vikram Nath has taken over as the head of NALSA, succeeding Justice Surya Kant.

Justice Kant, who assumed the role on May 14, 2025, vacated the position on Monday following his swearing-in as the CJI by President Droupadi Murmu.

CJI Kant has begun his 14-month tenure in the country's highest judicial office, succeeding Justice Bhushan R. Gavai, who demitted the CJI's office on Sunday on attaining the age of 65 years.

Upholding established convention, then CJI Gavai had recommended Justice Kant, the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court, as his successor.

NALSA, established under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, plays a vital role in ensuring access to justice for marginalised and underprivileged citizens.

Its mandate flows from Article 39A of the Constitution, a Directive Principle of State Policy, which obligates the State to ensure that the legal system promotes justice on the basis of equal opportunity and to provide free legal aid so that no citizen is denied justice due to economic or other disabilities.

Article 39A provides that“the State shall secure that the operation of the legal system promotes justice, on a basis of equal opportunity, and shall, in particular, provide free legal aid, by suitable legislation or schemes or in any other way, to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or other disabilities.”

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