Justice Sanjiv Khanna was sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India, succeeding Justice DY Chandrachud. The 51st CJI will have a term of about six months.

"At a ceremony held today (November 11, 2024) at 1000 hrs in the Ganatantra Mandap, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Shri Justice Sanjiv Khanna was sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India. He made and subscribed to the oath of office before the President," an official communique said.

Born on May 14, 1960, Justice Khanna had enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council of Delhi in 1983. He initially practised in the District Courts at the Tis Hazari complex, Delhi, and later, in the High Court of Delhi and tribunals in fields as diverse as constitutional law, direct taxation, arbitration, commercial law, company law, land law, environmental law and medical negligence, according to his official bio-data on the Supreme Court of India website.

He had a long tenure as the Senior Standing Counsel for the Income Tax Department. In 2004, he was appointed as the Standing Counsel (Civil) for the National Capital Territory of Delhi. He had also appeared and argued in a number of criminal cases at the Delhi High Court as anAdditional Public Prosecutor and as an amicus curie.

He was elevated as an additional judge of the Delhi High Court in 2005 and was made a permanent judge in 2006. While a judge of the Delhi High Court, he held the position of Chairman/Judge-in-charge, Delhi Judicial Academy, Delhi International Arbitration Centre and the District Court Mediation Centres.

Elevated as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India on January 18, 2019, he held the post of Chairman, Supreme Court Legal Service Committee, from June 17, 2023 till December 25, 2023. He is presently the Executive Chairman of National Legal Services Authority and a member of the Governing Counsel of the National Judicial Academy, Bhopal.

He is due to retire on May 13, 2025.