CJI U U Lalit recommends Justice D Y Chandrachud as successor

Chief Justice UU Lalit retires on November 8 this year

Incumbent Chief Justice of India U U Lalit on Tuesday named Justice D Y Chandrachud, the senior most Supreme Court judge, as his successor.

Justice Lalit is to superannuate on November 8.

In presence of all SC judges, Justice Lalit handed over the letter of recommendation to Justice Chandrachud.

On clearance of his name by the Union government, Justice Chandrachud would go on to become the 50th CJI.

Justice Chandrachud, who obtained PhD from Harvard Law School, would have a fairly long tenure of two years, until his retirement on November 10, 2024 at the age of 65 years.

Justice Chandrachud is known as a non-conformist judge who also played a key role in introducing virtual hearings during the Covid time and making it a permanent feature.

According to Memorandum of Procedure, the Centre asks the outgoing CJI to name the successor a month ahead of retirement.

On October 7, Minister of Law and Justice Kiren Rijiju sent a letter to the Chief Justice of India for sending his recommendations for appointment of his successor.

Justice Chandrachud is son of former SC judge Y V Chandrachud who was the longest-serving CJI, having served for about seven years and four months between 1978 to 1985.

Having obtained an LLM degree and a Doctorate in Juridical Sciences (SJD) from Harvard Law School, USA, Justice Chandrachud practised in Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court.

He passed BA with Honours in Economics from St Stephen's College, New Delhi and completed LLB from Campus Law Centre, Delhi University.

He was appointed Judge of the Supreme Court on May 13, 2016.

Prior to that he also served as Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court since October 31, 2013 until his appointment to the Supreme Court.

He was first appointed as judge of the Bombay High Court on March 29, 2000.

He also served as Additional Solicitor General of India from 1998 until year 2000.

In June, 1998, he was designated as senior advocate by the Bombay High Court.

Justice Chandrachud has been a visiting Professor of Comparative Constitutional Law at the University of Mumbai and at Oklahoma University School of Law, USA.