Justice Kant has taken oath as a Chief Justice of the Supreme court. His journey from Hisar to the highest chair of SC tells a courageous story of taking challenges and being persistent.
The Indian Supreme court witnessed another historical moment on Monday, 24th November. The 53rd Chief Justice of India took his oath in Hindi language. This symbolised the tone of accessibility and value for the root Indians. No doubt his tenure will maintain the tone. He is none other than Justice Surya Kant. He will serve as Chief Justice till February 9, 2027, till the age of 65. His tenure is short, but there are a lot of expectations regarding his reputation for clear, fair and unbiased justice and humanity.
Challenge before Joining
Justice Kant identified a challenge of reducing the burden of 90000 pending cases before the Supreme Court just before two days of taking the oath. He considers it as a “biggest challenge”. Courts are made to deliver justice to maintain a balance in the society and also to give respect to the petitioners. He stressed that manageable actions should be taken to handle such backlog. His statements signal that his tenure will be crucial to manage cases, procedural rationalisation and digitization to achieve public trust in the judiciary efficiency.
Childhood in Hisar
Justice Kant took birth in Hisar district of Haryana on February 20, 1962 in a middle-class family. He started his career as a small-town lawyer and gradually learned how to craft factual arguments and evidence in an area where legal battles were rugged and the political atmosphere used to restrict the truth to prevail. His roots have helped him to build a practical approach towards solving critical issues and giving justice to the victims as early as possible.
Excellency in Academics
Justice Surya Kant completed his Master’s degree in Law from Kurukshetra University in 2010. He was not only in a rush to complete the degree but stood “first class first” proving his excellency. Later in many times he has said that learning should never stop. No doubt this approach has helped him to climb the ladder of judiciary but with practicality.
Becoming Chief Judge in Himachal Pradesh High Court
In 2018, Justice Kant became the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court. His tenure was remarkable because he took responsibility to deliver significant judgments related to constitutional rights, social justice and administrative transparency.
When he was elevated to the Supreme Court, Kant became a known face for being involved in major constitutional cases and national-interest cases. One of the major contributions was to participate in the abrogation of Article 370 case. He often emphasises on fair procedural and institutional accountability.
Key Role in Nation’s Justice
- Pushed for Transparency in Voter Rolls
To reinforce the transparency and citizen centric democracy Justice Kant urged the Election Commission to provide a detailed list of 65 lakh voters of Bihar who were removed.
- Advocated Women’s Representation in Bar Bodies
He advocated for women representation in bar bodies by ordering one-third reservation for women in bar associations which led to the quality in a male dominated profession.
- Reopened AMU Status Debate
He participated in overruling the 1967 AMU judgment process and stressed on the discussions related to minority rights.
- Participation in Pegasus Case
He was a part of the Bench handling Pegasus spyware allegations, he stressed that the State cannot claim it a “free pass” defending the privacy of citizens.
Transformative Tenure on the Way
Today when Justice Surya Kant took responsibility as the Supreme Court’s Chief Justice, a lot of expectations were raised. His sharp commitment to reduce pendening cases, reform administrative systems and take responsibility for civil liberties are exceptional. His journey from Hisar to the grand office of the Supreme Court shows the power of consistency, integrity and continuous learning and at the same time showing confidence to manage the most significant cases. Whether the 15-month long term will create an impactful legacy or not is yet to be seen but it is certain that Justice Kant has taken the first towards a new chapter of his journey with a clarity, practical approach towards societal issues backed with professional ethics.
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