नवीनतम
CJI Sanjiv Khanna rules out any post-retirement role
NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, retiring on Tuesday, said that he wouldn't accept any post-retirement post, but perhaps will do something related to law.
CJI Khanna, in an informal interaction with the media, also spoke on issues relating to the Justice Yashwant Varma controversy. "The judiciary sees pluses and minuses and decides the issue rationally," CJI Khanna said.
"When we do that, we make decisions. The future tells you whether what you did was correct or not...," said CJI Khanna when asked about Justice Varma, in whose official residence in Delhi a stack of cash was found.
CJI Khanna, regarding the in-house procedure, forwarded to the President of India and the Prime Minister of India the copy of the three-member committee report along with the letter/response received from Justice Varma.
Senior bar lawyers lauded Justice Khanna this morning when they assembled in court no 1 to bid him farewell.
CJI Khanna, who is retiring today, sat on a ceremonial bench along with CJI-designate BR Gavai and Justice PV Sanjay Kumar, who also praised him as a judge.
Justice Gavai said that CJI Khanna's decisions reflected a clear thought that was not just well-reasoned but also sensitive to human rights.
"The decision of this court to upload assets and liabilities of the judges shows his (CJI Khanna) penchant for transparency. He is a gentleman to the core in every sense. His humility and calm demeanour have always stood out," said Justice Gavai.
Attorney General for India R Venkataramani said that CJI Khanna's judgments were known for their clarity and simplicity.
Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta said that CJI Khanna's uncle, Justice HR Khanna, would be proud of his nephew.
Justice HR Khanna was a celebrated Supreme Court judge who was reportedly bypassed for the office of Chief Justice of India after he upheld civil liberties during the Emergency period in India. Justice HR Khanna resigned from office shortly after.
Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President and senior advocate Kapil Sibal said his courage, transparency, ability to grasp the point and effort to ask juniors to argue can never be forgotten.
"You are like that streak in the sky which comes rarely. You symbolise the best in the judge. You are the one who sets standards," Sibal said.
Justice Sanjiv Khanna was born on May 14, 1960, and comes from a family with a rich legal heritage.
His father, Dev Raj Khanna, served as a judge of the Delhi High Court and his mother, Saroj Khanna, was a lecturer at Lady Shri Ram College. He is the nephew of former Supreme Court Justice HR Khanna.
His grandfather, Sarav Dayal, was a prominent advocate, served on the Indian National Congress Committee investigating the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
After completing his legal studies at Campus Law Centre, University of Delhi, Justice Khanna enrolled as an Advocate with the Bar Council of Delhi in the year 1983.
After initially practising in the District Courts of Delhi, he established his practice primarily in the High Court of Delhi.
On June 24, 2005, Justice Khanna was elevated as an Additional Judge of the High Court of Delhi and was made a Permanent Judge on February 20, 2006.
He was elevated to the Supreme Court of India on January 18, 2019.
During his tenure, Justice Khanna contributed to several path-breaking verdicts. His judicial journey in the apex court, which began in January 2019 after serving in the Delhi High Court, was marked by a reputation for fairness, clarity, and an unwavering commitment to constitutional values.
1. Article 370 Abrogation:
Justice Khanna was a part of the five-judge Constitution Bench that upheld the Union Government’s decision to revoke Article 370, asserting that the provision was transitional in nature. He remarked that the move reinforced the idea of equality, granting residents of Jammu and Kashmir the same rights as citizens elsewhere in India.
2. Electoral Bonds Scheme:
In a significant blow to opaque political funding, a Constitution Bench, including Justice Khanna, unanimously struck down the controversial electoral bonds scheme. In his concurring opinion, Justice Khanna emphasized that the scheme failed the test of proportionality and highlighted how the majority of donations went to ruling parties, raising concerns about transparency and fairness in the democratic process.
3. EVM-VVPAT Tally Case:
Leading a Bench with Justice Dipankar Datta, Justice Khanna ruled against a plea for 100% VVPAT verification, calling such measures impractical and prone to misuse. The Bench upheld the integrity of the current electronic voting system while underlining the importance of voter trust.
4. Places of Worship Act:
Justice Khanna presided over a special Bench that ordered a freeze on new suits under the Places of Worship Act and restrained courts from passing final orders in pending cases. The decision came amid national debates over religious structures and communal harmony.
5. Waqf Act Hearings:
In the hearings challenging the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, the Justice Khanna-led Bench extracted assurances from the Centre that no de-notification of ‘waqf by user’ properties or inclusion of non-Muslims in Waqf Boards would take place. The case was subsequently passed on to the incoming CJI's Bench for further proceedings.
6. Remarks on Judiciary by MP Dubey:
A PIL against BJP MP Nishikant Dubey’s controversial remarks on the judiciary was not entertained for contempt, but the Bench strongly condemned his words as “irresponsible” and “disruptive to justice.” Justice Khanna reiterated that hate speech must be dealt with firmly to preserve harmony in a multi-cultural society.
7. Interim Bail to Arvind Kejriwal:
Justice Khanna granted interim bail to former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in the ED's liquor policy probe, citing the primacy of the right to liberty. He also diplomatically urged Kejriwal to consider stepping down from his post, while acknowledging the legal complexities of directing an elected official’s resignation.
8. Article 370 Review Petitions Dismissed:
Justice Khanna joined the majority in rejecting review petitions filed against the SC's Article 370 verdict, reaffirming the court’s earlier stance.
Born in May 1960, Justice Khanna graduated in law from Delhi University and began his legal practice in 1983. His areas of expertise spanned taxation, commercial law, environmental issues, and medical negligence, before his elevation to the Delhi High Court and later the Supreme Court.
As he prepares to step down, the legal fraternity acknowledges Justice Sanjiv Khanna's contributions to upholding the Constitution, fortifying democracy, and steering the judiciary with dignity during tumultuous times.
Justice B.R. Gavai now takes over the reins, with expectations high to continue the path of judicial prudence and independence laid down by his predecessor.
