International delegation of Judges to attend Justice Surya Kant's swearing-in as CJI

Supreme Court of India will host a distinguished foreign judicial delegation for the swearing-in Ceremony of the Chief Justice of India on November 24, 2025. Justice Surya Kant will be sworn in as the 53rd Chief Justice of India on Monday.

Chief Justices and senior judges from Bhutan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mauritius, Nepal, and Sri Lanka will attend the event at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. This marks the first time that an international delegation would be present for the oath- taking ceremony of an Indian Chief Justice.

The delegation will consist of the following: 

1. Bhutan
• Justice Lyonpo Norbu Tshering, Chief Justice of Bhutan;
• Lhaden Lotay, spouse of Chief Justice of Bhutan.

2. Kenya
• Justice Martha Koome, Chief Justice and President of the Supreme Court of Kenya;
• Justice Susan Njoki Ndungu, Judge, Supreme Court of Kenya.

3. Malaysia
• Justice Tan Sri Datuk Nalini Pathmanathan, Judge, Federal Court of Malaysia
• Pasupathy Sivapragasam, spouse of Judge, Federal Court of Malaysia

4. Mauritius
• Justice Bibi Rehana Mungly-Gulbul, Chief Justice of Mauritius
• Rebecca Hanna Bibi Gulbul, daughter of the Chief Justice of Mauritius

5. Nepal
• Justice Prakash Man Singh Raut, Chief Justice of Nepal;
• Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla, Judge, Supreme Court of Nepal;
• Ashok Bahadur Malla, spouse of Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla;
• Anil Kumar Sinha, former Judge, Supreme Court of Nepal and currently Minister of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Government of Nepal;
• Ursila Sinha, spouse of Anil Kumar Sinha.

6. Sri Lanka
• Justice P Padman Surasena, Chief Justice of Sri Lanka;
• Sepalika Surasena, spouse of the Chief Justice of Sri Lanka;
• Justice S. Thurairaja, PC, Judge, Supreme Court of Sri Lanka;
• Sasikala Thurairaja, spouse of Justice S. Thurairaja;
• Justice AHMD Nawaz, Judge, Supreme Court of Sri Lanka;
• Rizan Mohamed Dhlip Nawaz, spouse of Justice AHMD Nawaz.

On October 30, the President of India had appointed Justice Surya Kant, Judge of the Supreme Court of India as the Chief Justice of India with effect from 24th November, 2025. In an X post, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal had said, "In exercise of the powers conferred by the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Surya Kant, Judge of the Supreme Court of India as the Chief Justice of India with effect from 24th November, 2025. I convey my heartiest congratulations and best wishes to him".

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bhushan Ramakrishna Gavai had officially recommended Justice Surya Kant to succeed him at the helm of the nation’s highest court. The recommendation was conveyed in a letter sent to the Union Law Ministry

The Centre had reportedly initiated the process to appoint the next Chief Justice of India as incumbent CJI BR Gavai is set to demit office on 23rd November 2025. As per procedure, the letter requesting Justice Gavai to name his successor was be delivered to him. As per guidelines governing the appointment, transfer and elevation of judges, the position of Chief Justice of India is traditionally offered to the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court considered fit to hold the office.

Justice Surya Kant was elevated as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India on 24th May, 2019 and is also, Chairman of Supreme Court Legal Services Committee, w.e.f., 12th November, 2024. He is due to retire on 9th February, 2027. Justice Kant was appointed a permanent Judge to the Punjab and Haryana High Court on January 9, 2004. The next CJI to be graduated from Government Post Graduate College, Hisar in 1981 and got a bachelor’s degree in law in 1984 from Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak. He then started practicing Law at the District Court, Hisar in 1984. Later he shifted to Chandigarh in 1985 to practice in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Justice Kant specialised in Constitutional, Service and Civil matters and represented a number of Universities, Boards, Corporations, Banks and also the High Court itself. He was appointed the youngest Advocate General of Haryana on July 7, 2000 and designated as Senior Advocate in March, 2001. He held the office of Advocate General, Haryana till his elevation as a permanent Judge to the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He was also nominated as a Member of the Governing Body of National Legal Services Authority on February 23, 2007 for two consecutive terms till February 22, 2011.

Presently, he is a Member of various Committees of Indian Law Institute – a deemed university under the aegis of Supreme Court of India. and has also organised and attended various prestigious National/International Conferences. Before his elevation to the Supreme Court, Justice Kant had also served as the Chief Justice of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh.