Suspense Crime Sach Ka Dam
Justice Sanjiv Khanna heard 45 cases on the first day after taking over as the 51st Chief Justice of India (CJI). He thanked lawyers and bar officials for wishing him well. CJI Khanna entered the Chief Justice’s courtroom in the Supreme Court at noon after being administered the oath by President Draupadi Murmu at a brief ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Supreme Court lawyers welcomed CJI.
He was accorded a warm welcome by senior lawyers of the bar, including former Attorney General and senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi said at the start of the day’s proceedings, “I wish you a successful tenure as the Chief Justice.”
Other lawyers also wished him well.
Rohatgi had said on Friday that after more than a decade and CJI Y K Sabharwal (late), the Supreme Court will get another Chief Justice from the Delhi High Court. Other lawyers present in the courtroom also wished the Chief Justice.
Afternoon hearing of cases
“Thank you,” the Chief Justice said to the lawyers who had assembled in Court Room No. 1 with Justice Sanjay Kumar later in the afternoon. When a member raised the issue regarding the sequence of cases listed for hearing on a day, the Chief Justice said it was under his notice and he would look into it.
45 cases were heard
The Chief Justice remained in the courtroom till 2.30 pm and heard 45 listed cases, mostly commercial suits. On a petition filed by the West Bengal government against the arbitration award, the Chief Justice said, “Citizens cannot be misled.”
These were the major cases involved.
A bench headed by the Chief Justice refused to hear the state government’s appeal against the arbitration award which had asked the state government to pay the promised tax incentives to a Mauritius-based company.
Earlier, Justice Khanna took the oath in English ‘in the name of God’ at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Born on May 14, 1960, Justice Khanna will serve as the Chief Justice of India for a little over six months and will retire on May 13, 2025, upon attaining the age of 65 years.
DY Chandrachud retired from the post of CJI.
Khanna replaced Justice DY Chandrachud, who retired on Sunday. Apart from Justice Chandrachud, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and former Chief Justice JS Khehar were present at the swearing-in ceremony.
