Justice Surya Kant Height, Age, Family, Biography

Some Lesser Known Facts About Justice Surya Kant

After completing a bachelor’s in law, Surya began his legal career in Hisar in 1984.

In 1985, he moved to Chandigarh and started practicing at the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

On 7 July 2000, he was appointed Advocate General of Haryana at the age of 38, becoming the youngest person to hold the post.

On January 9, 2004, Justice Surya Kant was appointed as a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

From 2007 to 2011, Kant served as a Member of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and participated in several committees at the Indian Law Institute.

In 2014, during his tenure at the Punjab and Haryana High Court, one of his important judgments was in the Jasvir Singh case, involving a couple in jail who wanted the right to have a child. He said that even people in jail have the right to family life and to have children under Article 21 of the Constitution. He guided the Punjab Government to create a Jail Reforms Committee so that prisoners could get to meet their spouses and families in private, because it can help them improve their behavior and stay emotionally healthy.

In 2017, he was part of the full bench for the controversial rape case involving Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim. He also mandated the sanitization of Dera Sacha Sauda in Sirsa after the violence erupted following the imprisonment of Ram Rahim.

Surya Kant cancelled several land acquisitions in Haryana after finding links between politicians and builders, especially in the NCR region.

On 5 October 2018, Kant became the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court. During his time as Chief Justice, he brought several administrative reforms to improve judicial efficiency.

On 24 May 2019, Surya was moved to the Supreme Court of India. In the Supreme Court, he has been part of benches that delivered many important judgments impacting governance and citizens’ rights.

In 2024, Surya Kant served on the Supreme Court bench that heard the case of Arvind Kejriwal v. CBI, which was related to the Delhi Excise Policy. The bench granted bail to Arvind Kejriwal; however, Justice Kant maintained that his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation was legal and followed due procedure.

In June 2025, Surya Kant was part of the bench handling the high-profile controversy around the show India’s Got Latent, which involved influencer Ranveer Allahbadia and Samay Raina. Surya Kant strongly criticised Ranveer’s comment.

During his tenure in the Supreme Court of India, Surya Kant has been a part of several impactful decisions, including the cancellation of Article 370 of the Constitution, which ended the special status of the State of Jammu and Kashmir. Justice Kant was also part of the Bench that held the electoral bonds scheme unconstitutional. He was a member of the bench that heard the Pegasus spyware case and the suspension of the sedition law.

On 27 October 2025, Chief Justice of India BR Gavai recommended Surya Kant as his successor and the 53rd Chief Justice of India.
Justice Surya Kant (left) with Chief Justice of India BR Gavai (right)

Justice Surya Kant is set to assume office on 23 November 2025, after B. R. Gavai’s retirement. He will serve till 27 February 2027.