CJI DY Chandrachud has 15 more days left in his tenure. He will retire from his post on 10 November 2024. After Justice Chandrachud, Justice Sanjiv Khanna will be the 51st Chief Justice of India. His tenure will be about 6 months. Justice Sanjeev Khanna will remain as Chief Justice of India till 13 May 2025.
Who is Justice Sanjeev Khanna?
Justice Sanjiv Khanna (Who is Justice Sanjiv Khanna), born on 14 May 1960, is originally from Delhi. His early education was from the famous Modern School of Delhi. Then he did his graduation from Delhi University in the year 1980. After this, he took admission in law at DU’s Campus Law Centre. After studying law, Justice Khanna got registered with the Bar Council of Delhi in 1983 and started practice. In the initial days, he used to practice in Tis Hazari Court and Saket Court. Then shifted to Delhi High Court.
Justice Sanjeev Khanna, considered an expert in public law, direct tax and income tax, also fought many cases as the public prosecutor of Delhi government. Apart from this, he also worked as a standing counsel for the Income Tax Department for 7 years. In the year 2004, the Delhi Government appointed him as its Standing Counsel in the High Court.
Reached from lawyer to judge’s chair
Justice Sanjeev Khanna was appointed Additional Judge in Delhi High Court for the first time on 24 June 2005. Then the next year on 20 February 2006, he was appointed permanent judge. After spending nearly 13 years in the High Court, on December 12, 2018, the Supreme Court Collegium led by the then CJI Ranjan Gogoi recommended the appointment of Justice Sanjeev Khanna to the Supreme Court and the Central Government accepted it. After this, on January 18, 2019, he became a judge of the Supreme Court.
Justice Sanjiv Khanna never headed any high court as Chief Justice. Before being elevated to the Supreme Court, he was a judge of the Delhi High Court.
Both father and uncle have been judges
Justice Sanjeev Khanna’s father Justice Devaraj Khanna was also a judge. He was a judge of Delhi High Court. Apart from this, his uncle Justice Hansraj Khanna has also been a judge of the Supreme Court. Justice Hansraj Khanna had given a different decision from the majority in the ‘ADM Jabalpur VS Shivakant Shukla’ case. This case is also known as Habeas Corpus case.
Justice Sanjiv Khanna began his first day as a Supreme Court judge in the same courtroom from which his uncle, the late Justice H.R. Khanna had retired for the last time. This was a rare coincidence.
Famous decisions of Justice Sanjeev Khanna
According to a report by Supreme Court Observer, Justice Sanjeev Khanna had been a part of more than 354 benches till May 22, 2023. Whereas 93 judgments were given. Many judgments of Justice Sanjeev Khanna have been famous. In 2024, a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court declared electoral bondage unconstitutional. Justice Khanna was also a part of this bench. He said that if the donation is made through banking channel, then the donors do not have the right to privacy. He also gave the famous decision on Article 370. He said that Article 370 of the Indian Constitution was a feature of asymmetric federalism and was not a sign of sovereignty. Its removal does not affect the federal structure.
Tags: DELHI HIGH COURT, DY Chandrachud, Justice DY Chandrachud, Supreme Court, supreme court of india
FIRST PUBLISHED: October 9, 2024, 12:03 IST