JUSTICE SURYA KANT APPOINTED NEXT CJI, Pg15.

Key Highlights:

• Justice Surya Kant has been appointed as the 53rd Chief Justice of India (CJI) by President Droupadi Murmu.
• Justice Kant will assume office on November 24, 2024, succeeding CJI B R Gavai, who retires on November 23, 2024.
• He will have a tenure of approximately 15 months, retiring on February 10, 2027, and will be the first CJI from Haryana.

Detailed Insights:

• Justice Surya Kant started his legal practice in 1984 at the Hisar District Court and became the youngest Advocate General of Haryana at age 38.
• He served as a judge at the Punjab and Haryana High Court for 14 years and later became the Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court.
• Justice Kant has emphasized ensuring access to justice for the common person, noting that legal fees often exceed monthly incomes for many.
• He has been part of significant judgments, including the 2023 ruling on Article 370 abrogation, the 2024 verdict on Aligarh Muslim University's minority tag, and the granting of bail to prominent figures.
• Currently, Justice Kant heads a bench overseeing the Election Commission's SIR (Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation) exercise in Bihar.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Chief Justice of India (CJI): The head of the Indian judiciary and the Supreme Court.
• Article 370: A former article of the Indian Constitution that granted special autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir.
• Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP): An Election Commission program to educate citizens about the electoral process.