President Murmu administers the oath of office to Justice Surya Kant at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday
Justice Surya Kant, the 53rd CJI, will have a tenure of nearly one year and three months. He spoke to Dhananjay Mahapatra shortly after taking oath
Hailing from a family of agriculturists, what encouraged you to choose law as a profession?
Growing up tilling the family fields in Petwar taught me patience in the most practical way. Every farmer knows growth can’t be rushed, it needs time, care and resilience. This lesson early in my life shaped my approach towards law, to handle every case steadily and thoughtfully, listen intently, weigh evidence and let the process run its course. Justice, like harvest, can’t be forced. It has to be nurtured with consistency and respect for due process.My decision to study law came from a genuine love for debate and a curiosity about social issues. But choosing law was still a leap of faith. It is a demanding profession that asks for long-term commitment and ability to adapt. Choosing law meant taking responsibility for shaping my own journey in a field that is challenging and deeply rewarding.
Did you ever dream of becoming CJI?
Every person who enrols as an advocate, dreams of making a difference. I was no different. As a young lawyer, I wanted to have a meaningful career. The dream of heading the judiciary never crossed the mind as long as I was an advocate. I didn’t plan my career. From being a govt pleader to becoming the advocate general of Haryana to becoming an HC judge, all happened organically.One thing remained common with me, both as advocate and a constitutional court judge – I am immensely passionate about the law and court craft. I got good guidance from my seniors and able assistance from my juniors, who are the real architects of my career in law.
In a hierarchical seniority-cum-merit-based system, is becoming CJI more dependent on luck and timing rather than merit, ability and suitability?
Journey to chief justiceship is a long and winding one built on years of hard work, integrity and the ability to decide cases with fairness and balance. No one arrives in SC (as a judge) suddenly or by accident. It comes after decades of judging difficult cases, carrying institutional responsibilities, consistently exhibiting fairness in letter and spirit, clarity of thought, and restraint.A judge’s demeanour and conduct in the courtroom, ability to inspire confidence among colleagues and an unwavering commitment to institutional values form the core of what ultimately determines suitability of leadership. But, yes, timing and circumstances may play a small role in the sequence of appointments. But this can never replace merit, credibility and character. Every judge entrusted with the CJI post puts in a lifetime’s labour.The CJI post is not a reward of chance or luck. It is an outcome of sustained excellence, measured ability and a reputation for balance and integrity built over entire judicial life. The CJI post casts an additional duty to strive to improve, perform at your best and remain genuinely committed to constitutional fidelity.
Your priorities as CJI, the first from Haryana?
It is, of course, a moment of personal pride to be the first from Haryana to become CJI. But once one takes oath, he does not belong to any particular state, he belongs to the entire country. My duty is to every litigant, from every corner of India, to keep intact his hope and trust in the judiciary.My priorities are clear and pressing. We must bring down the backlog in a steady and meaningful way, not through short-term measures, but through structural improvements in case management. Speedy justice must not be at the cost of fairness, but delay must not frustrate justice. It is important that justice reaches the marginalised, poor, voiceless and the invisible victims of the system who often do not have the wherewithal to knock at the doors of temples of justice. By making the system more accessible, humane and responsive to them, we strengthen its very purpose and honour the cardinal constitutional goals.
Have PILs served the purpose for which they were invented by SC, or are they increasingly becoming tools to malign, political vendetta and corner the establishment?
PIL has been one of the most significant judicial innovations in our constitutional history, essentially to advance and protect the rights of the poor and voiceless and those who do not have access to justice. The guarantees under Article 32 of the Constitution cannot be diluted as the reliefs given by constitutional courts through PILs are always to achieve the larger objective of protecting the rights of those who do not have access to justice.At the same time, SC judges are conscious of jurisdictional limitations, and in some cases, are cognisant that there has been flagrant misuse of such petitions which bypass HCs. We have repeatedly emphasised that such petitioners must approach HCs which have wide power under Article 226. HCs are well attuned to the jurisdictional demographic needs. Asking such petitioners to move HC is to ensure that the tiered judicial structure functions effectively.
Does distorted projection of court proceedings in social media impede the justice delivery process?
By and large, judges remain detached from social media, and that is a blessing. We simply do not have time, nor the inclination, to take to heart what is said or circulated about us outside the courtroom.About two decades ago, judges functioned almost entirely outside the public view. But in today’s digital age, every utterance, every exchange in the courtroom, is instantly broadcast, often without context or accuracy. A stray sentence is clipped, shared and misconstrued within minutes, sometimes creating a wholly misleading impression. This has happened several times over the past year itself.That said, while the present environment naturally makes us more cautious in expression, it cannot and must not deter us from asking probing questions necessary for justice. We may weigh our words carefully today, but we cannot allow fear of distortion or dilute the pursuit of truth. Ultimately, justice delivered in accordance with law is the only measure that matters. Go to Source
