Centre begins CJI appointment process, asks Justice BR Gavai to recommend successor

CJI BR Gavai is set to retire on November 23.

The Union government has initiated the formal process to appoint the next Chief Justice of India (CJI), as incumbent Justice BR Gavai nears retirement

CJI BR Gavai is set to retire on November 23. As per procedure, the Law Ministry has sent a communication to Chief Justice Gavai, requesting him to recommend the name of his successor, ANI reported.

The appointment of the CJI is guided by the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP), a document that outlines the process for the appointment, transfer, and elevation of judges to the Supreme Court and High Courts. Under the MoP, the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court, deemed fit to hold the position, is recommended for appointment as the next Chief Justice.

Traditionally, the outgoing CJI receives the request for recommendation about a month before demitting office upon reaching the age of 65.

Following this convention, Justice Surya Kant, currently the senior-most judge after Justice Gavai, is expected to be named as the next Chief Justice of India. Upon appointment, he will assume charge on November 24 and is slated to serve a tenure of nearly 15 months, until February 9, 2027.

Born on February 10, 1962, Justice Surya Kant is presently a senior judge of the Supreme Court of India and, if appointed, will be the 53rd Chief Justice of India. Before his elevation to the apex court, he practiced as a Senior Advocate and served as the Advocate General of Haryana.

Justice Kant also holds several important positions -- he serves as the Visitor of the National University of Study and Research in Law, Ranchi, and is the ex officio Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA).