Tackling Case Pendency & Encouraging Mediation Would Be On Priority : CJI- Designate Surya Kant

Speaking at a press briefing at his residential office, Justice Kant stressed that mounting pendency, occurring due to various factors would be on the top of the Apex Court's key agenda.

He added the there needs to be an increased push for mediation on the Indian Legal landscape and development of mediation centres too.

Justice Surya Kant will be taking over as the 53rd Chief Justice of India on November 24. As a CJI, he will have a tenure till February 9, 2027.

Justice Surya Kant was born on 10 February 1962 in the village Petwar, District Hisar, Haryana. He earned his Law degree from Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak in 1984 and then began his practice the same year at the District Courts, Hisar. In 1985, he shifted to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh, specialising in Constitutional, Service, and Civil matters. On 7 July 2000, he earned the distinction of being appointed the youngest Advocate General of Haryana and was also designated as a Senior Advocate. He served as the Advocate General until his elevation as a permanent Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on 9 January 2004.

As a Judge, he served on the Governing Body of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) from 2007 to 2011 and later earned a First Class First in his Master's degree in Law in 2011. He was appointed as the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court on 5 October, 2018 and thereafter was elevated to the Supreme Court of India on 24 May, 2019. Since 14 May, 2025, he has been the Executive Chairman of NALSA and also serves on several committees of the Indian Law Institute.