Tackling pendency of cases, encouraging mediation my priority: CJI-designate Justice Surya Kant

Justice Surya Kant, who is to take over as the 53^rd Chief Justice of India on November 24, on Saturday said tackling huge pendency of cases and encouraging mediation as an alternative disputes resolution mechanism would be his priority.

“My foremost agenda is to reduce arrears (of cases). Two things are my top priorities: arrears and mediation. With 90,000 cases pending in the Supreme Court, clearing the oldest matters is essential,” Justice Kasnt said in an interaction with Supreme Court correspondents at his official residence here.

The CJI-designate batted for mediation as an important tool to reduce huge pendency of cases. “Mediation can be a game changer,” he said.

He said he will give priority to setting up Constitution Benches to dispose of important matters involving important constitutional questions that could lead to clearing of hundreds and thousands of cases in high courts.

He said that judges should not come under pressure from social media trolls and judicial independence must remain paramount.

Justice Kant said even in this weather when AQI was quite bad, “I walk for at least an hour every morning.”

Responding to a query, Justice Kant confirmed that several foreign chief justices and judges were likely to attend his oath ceremony on November 24.

“It’s due to respect and reciprocity… The Indian judiciary is highly respected globally. Such visits reflect mutual respect and facilitate exchange of knowledge. Kenya, for instance, has shown interest in establishing a judicial academy. MoUs, especially in judicial training, are likely to be signed,” the CJI-designate said.

Chief justices/judges from Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Malaysia, Brazil and Kenya were expected to attend Justice Kant’s searing in as the CJI on Monday, sources said.

President Droupadi Murmu had on October 30 appointed Justice Surya Kant — the senior-most Judge of the Supreme Court — as the next Chief Justice of India.

He will succeed current Chief Justice of India BR Gavai who is due to retire on November 23 on attaining the age of 65. Justice Kant will be administered the oath of office on November 24 and he will hold the office for nearly 15 months till February 9, 2027.

Born in a middle-class family on February 10, 1962, in Hisar district of Haryana, Justice Kant obtained a bachelor’s degree in law in 1984 from Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak. He has the distinction of standing ‘first class first’ in his Master’s degree in law in 2011 from Kurukshetra University.

He earned the distinction of being appointed the youngest Advocate General of Haryana on July 7, 2000, at the age of 38.

He was appointed as a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on January 9, 2004, and assumed charge of the office of the Chief Justice of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh on October 5, 2018.

Justice Kant—who was elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019 -- brings a wealth of experience of more than two decades on the Bench, marked by landmark verdicts on abrogation of Article 370, free speech, democracy, corruption, environment and gender equality.