Justice Surya Kant takes charge as the 53rd Chief Justice of India, carrying forward a legal career shaped by four decades of work, a deep rural upbringing, and a steady commitment to rights and dignity. Raised in Petwar village in Hisar, he rose from modest beginnings to become one of the country’s most respected judicial voices. With nearly fifteen months in office, expectations rest on a tenure guided by compassion, constitutional discipline, and practical reform.
Justice Kant’s path has been marked by focus and persistence. He began at the Hisar District Court and went on to become Haryana’s youngest advocate general at 38. In 2004, he was appointed a permanent judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He later served as chief justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court before joining the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019.
His work has often shown how the law can serve people with empathy. He has said that justice must stay connected to humanity, and his rulings reflect that belief.
One of his most notable decisions came in the Jasvir Singh case, where he directed Punjab to set up a Jail Reforms Committee and allow conjugal and family visits for prisoners. At the Supreme Court, he pushed for stronger protections for domestic workers, highlighting the dignity owed to them.
He has also been a steady voice for gender equality. His judgments reinstated a woman sarpanch removed due to bias, required one-third reservation for women in bar associations, and held that homemakers’ income must not be valued below minimum wages. Each decision underscored women’s rightful economic and social standing.
On civil liberties, his record shows firm constitutional vigilance. His bench kept the sedition law under suspension while its validity is reconsidered. He has often stressed the importance of judicial review as essential to India’s democracy.
In the “India’s Got Latent” case, he reminded citizens that freedom must be paired with responsibility. In the Pegasus spyware matter, he rejected broad national security claims and reaffirmed the right to privacy, calling it a protection the Court cannot abandon.
While he agreed with the Union government’s move in the Article 370 case, he struck down the modification to Article 367 as unlawful. It was an example of his willingness to uphold procedure even when concurring with the final outcome.
Justice Kant has also taken a clear stand for transparency. He was part of the Constitution bench that invalidated the electoral bonds scheme and directed the Election Commission to reveal details of excluded voters, strengthening the public’s right to information.
His new role comes with significant challenges. The Supreme Court’s docket has crossed 80,000 cases. Issues like collegium transparency, relations with High Courts, contempt powers, and parliamentary impeachment processes will demand careful leadership. Balancing cooperation with the government while protecting judicial independence will be one of his toughest tasks.
As executive chairman of NALSA, he promoted legal aid and mediation. These tools are expected to play a larger role as he pushes for wider access to justice. He will also oversee ongoing technological changes in the judiciary, including digitisation that must reach district courts and cut delays.
In a recent message, he urged judges to reflect each night on the public money spent on them and whether they have repaid society’s trust. This spirit of self-scrutiny may shape his approach as Chief Justice.
Observers across the legal and political landscape will watch his long tenure closely. Admirers see an opportunity for meaningful reform, critics will examine each move, and the government will track how he navigates the next fifteen months.