Justice Khanna Retires; Justice B.R. Gavai to Be Sworn In as New CJI

On his final day in office, Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna expressed heartfelt gratitude as he addressed the Supreme Court. Speaking at a farewell event hosted by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) on Tuesday, Justice Khanna reflected on his time as a judge and admitted he felt relieved as he stepped down from the nation’s highest judicial post.

“Now, at 65, as I prepare to retire, I do so with gratitude, reflection, and yes, a sense of satisfaction. Age will see me off as a judge,” he said. “I can say this much, I am equally eager to get rid of the judge in me.”

Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai will officially take oath as the 52nd Chief Justice of India on Wednesday. He will assume charge just a day after Justice Khanna’s retirement. Notably, Justice Gavai will be the first Buddhist to hold the position and the second person from the Dalit community, after former CJI K.G. Balakrishnan in 2007, to lead the Supreme Court.

Justice Khanna’s time as CJI was brief, lasting only six months. He took over the top post in November 2024, following the retirement of Justice D.Y. Chandrachud.

Justice Khanna said he felt no conflicting emotions about retiring. Instead, he experienced peace. He described the symbolic moment when he hung up his judicial robe for the last time.

“This morning, as the robe was hung for the final time, the weight of responsibility lifted from my shoulder, and quite honestly, I felt a sense of bliss. This is certainly an emotional moment. I’ve attended many farewells. A sentiment commonly expressed on such occasions is that of ‘mixed feelings’ — a bittersweet moment. Let me confess — I have no mixed feelings. I am simply happy,” he stated.

Addressing the “By-the-Book” Label

Justice Khanna acknowledged that some viewed him as a conservative judge who always followed the rule book. Curious about this image, he decided to look into his own judicial track record.

He said that during his time at the High Court, he overturned convictions in around 33–35% of criminal appeal cases. This rate was similar to his fellow judges. However, he noticed a trend—more acquittals happened when court-appointed lawyers (amicus curiae) represented the accused, compared to those defended by senior lawyers.

Speaking Out Against Dishonesty in the Legal Field

Justice Khanna also highlighted a serious concern he has—the increasing lack of honesty in the legal profession. “As I step down from the Bench, I would like to speak about something that bothers me – truth deficit in our profession,” he said.

He emphasized that a judge’s duty is to search for the truth. Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, he said, “truth is God,” not just in a spiritual sense, but as a core legal value.

The Legal Power of Truth

Justice Khanna made it clear that truth is more than just a moral value—it is a legal force. He said courts frequently deal with situations where the truth is hidden or even intentionally misrepresented.

He warned that many legal professionals wrongly believe they must exaggerate or manipulate facts to win a case. “In fact, it complicates the process, making the Court’s job significantly harder. Because behind every falsehood, we are forced to dig deeper and longer to uncover the truth,” he explained.

A Look Back at His Judicial Journey

Justice Khanna became the 51st Chief Justice of India on November 11, 2024. He was elevated to the Supreme Court on January 18, 2019. Before that, he served as a judge at the Delhi High Court, where he was appointed at age 45 after practicing law in Delhi.

“It was only after donning the robes of a Judge that I truly understood the weight of the responsibility bestowed on us by the Constitution and by the people of this country,” he shared.

Gratitude and Best Wishes

Justice Khanna ended his speech by thanking his colleagues, both past and present. He also wished Justice B.R. Gavai success, as Gavai will take over as the 52nd Chief Justice of India on Wednesday.