Surya Kant likely to become next Chief Justice of Supreme Court; how will this impact entry of women to Sabarimala?

NEW DELHI: Justice Surya Kant is likely to become the next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. He hails from Hisar, Haryana. He has service till February 9, 2027.

Chief Justice B.R. Gavai will retire on November 23. The senior-most of the remaining judges is Surya Kant. The Union Law Ministry has written to the Chief Justice to suggest a new name. It is interesting that the collegium decided to appoint Gavai, a former judge of the Bombay High Court, and Surya Kant, a former Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, as Supreme Court judges on the same day. The recommendation was made on May 8, 2019. Both of them took charge on May 24, 2019.

Sabarimala bench to become active

The petitions challenging the September 28, 2018, verdict allowing entry of women into Sabarimala are being considered by a nine-judge bench. The hearing began on January 13, 2020, but all seven members of the bench, except Gavai and Surya Kant, retired. Gavai was not prepared to take on the responsibility of reassembling the bench and hearing the arguments. The bench is likely to become active again if Surya Kant becomes the Chief Justice. He has previously considered petitions, including Kerala's financial difficulties and the dispute between the governor and the government. Justice Surya Kant had intervened in a case concerning the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar and directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to accept Aadhaar as one of the valid documents for re-inclusion.