Overview
- President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath at Rashtrapati Bhavan as Surya Kant succeeded Justice B. R. Gavai.
- He will serve until February 9, 2027, completing a tenure of nearly 15 months.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan and several Union ministers attended the ceremony.
- The new CJI identified arrears as his foremost challenge, signaling mediation drives and the formation of five‑, seven‑ and nine‑judge Constitution Benches in the coming weeks.
- His judicial record includes the Article 370 verdict, the court’s pause on the sedition law, oversight of the Pegasus probe, scrutiny of Bihar’s electoral rolls, and directives advancing gender equity in the legal fraternity.