Subhechcha Ganguly 
Justice Sanjiv Khanna has been recommended by Chief Justice Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud as his successor, initiating the process for the new appointment. As the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Khanna is set to take over as Chief Justice upon Justice Chandrachud’s retirement on November 10. He is expected to serve in this role until his own retirement on May 13, 2025, resulting in a tenure of approximately six months. Sources indicate that CJI Chandrachud personally delivered the nomination letter to Justice Khanna on Wednesday morning.
On October 12, the central government reached out to CJI Chandrachud with a request to nominate his successor. Justice Chandrachud has been serving as Chief Justice since November 9, 2022.As part of established convention, the law ministry typically contacts the CJI a little over a month before his retirement to ask for his successor’s name. The current Chief Justice then responds by sending his recommendation to the ministry.
According to the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) that regulates the appointment and transfer of judges in constitutional courts, the Chief Justice of India (CJI) is to be appointed from among the most senior judges of the Supreme Court who are deemed fit for the role. Following the recommendation of the current CJI, the government is expected to issue a notification soon, appointing Justice Khanna as the next CJI, effective November 11.
