No democracy without dissent, believes CJI Surya Kant

WITH Justice Surya Kant assuming office as the 53rd Chief Justice of India, many of us in the legal fraternity feel a quiet but profound sense of satisfaction. The appointment of a judge from a modest, middle-class family in Hisar to the highest judicial office captures something essential about the Indian Constitution — its faith that talent and integrity can rise from any corner of the country.For me, this moment is also deeply personal. As his former teacher, I have seen him first as a serious law student, then as a diligent young advocate, an exacting high court judge and finally as a widely respected judge of the Supreme Court of India. Across these different roles, what has remained constant is his humility, his discipline and his belief that the law exists above all for those who are in dire need of it.Born in 1962 at Petwar village in Hisar district, Haryana, he graduated from Government Post-Graduate College, Hisar, in 1981 and earned his law degree from Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak (1984). He began practice in Hisar district courts, shifted to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, and built a formidable reputation in constitutional, service and civil matters. In 2000, he became the Advocate General of Haryana; in 2001, he was designated Senior Advocate. Elevation to the Punjab and Haryana High Court followed in 2004, and in 2018, he became the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court before joining the Supreme Court in May 2019.His judicial record reveals a consistent concern for human dignity. In Jasvir Singh vs State of Punjab, while dismissing a particular plea, he recognised conjugal visits and, in suitable cases, procreation as part of Article 21 rights and directed the state to frame a policy on family visits as prison reform. Prisoners, in his view, remain rights-bearing citizens.As the Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court, he managed environmental, land acquisition and hydropower disputes in a mountainous, largely rural state, while insisting on punctuality, thorough preparation and courteous hearing even to the youngest lawyers.At the Supreme Court, he was part of the Bench (headed by then CJI NV Ramana) that, in 2022, effectively suspended the colonial-era sedition law (Section 124A IPC) until the Union re-examines it and protected existing accused persons from fresh prosecution — an order that reaffirmed that dissent is the safety valve of democracy.Justice Surya Kant has also been an articulate public voice. He has described "democracy without dissent" as a contradiction and silence in the face of injustice as complicity. He has defended the collegium system as an imperfect but vital safeguard of judicial independence. Speaking at Microsoft's global headquarters, he welcomed AI for legal research and drafting but insisted that empathy, moral reasoning and human judgment remain irreplaceable.As incoming CJI and ex-officio Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority, he has already signalled two priorities: reducing pendency and promoting mediation and alternative dispute resolution. This is not mere docket-clearing; it reflects his long engagement with legal-aid movements and his conviction that many disputes are better resolved by restoring relationships than by protracted adversarial litigation.From his tenure, we may reasonably expect a steadfast defence of judicial independence that neither obstructs legitimate governance nor abdicates the court's role as constitutional sentinel; steady, practical reforms that strengthen case management, bolster district courts and harness technology to make justice less intimidating and more accessible; a compassionate yet balanced approach to the great social questions of our time — prisoners’ dignity, rights of the marginalised and vulnerable groups, gender equality and environmental protection — always aware that the hardest cases demand both heart and restraint; and a warmer, more structured partnership between the higher judiciary and legal academia through internships, research collaborations and shared deliberations that will enrich both the Bench and the classroom.There will, of course, be challenges and disagreements along the way. That is natural for any Chief Justice who presides over a court where strong minds differ on questions of interpretation and principle. In fact, the health of our judiciary lies in precisely this culture of reasoned dissent, both within and outside the courtroom. Justice Surya Kant himself has not hesitated to take a distinct position where he felt constitutional fidelity demanded it and I hope that under his stewardship, the Supreme Court will remain a forum where competing views are debated with rigour and mutual respect.From the point of view of legal education, Justice Surya Kant's elevation also carries a symbolic message for young students, especially those who come from small towns and non-elite backgrounds. His life story tells them that excellence in the profession does not depend on lineage or privilege, but on preparation, perseverance and ethical commitment. In a time when public discourse around the judiciary is sometimes polarised, it is important to highlight such stories that quietly affirm the seriousness and integrity that still characterise much of Indian judging.As someone who has spent a lifetime in building institutions such as the NALSAR University of Law and National Law University Delhi, I see Justice Surya Kant's tenure as an opportunity to renew trust in the judiciary as the guardian of the Constitution and the protector of the ordinary citizen. His clarity of thought, his rootedness in the realities of Indian society, and his openness to technology and comparative learning give me confidence that he will lead the court with wisdom and grace.It is a proud day for Haryana, for his alma mater and for all those who believe that the Indian judiciary can continue to renew itself from within. I look forward, as many others do, to seeing how his vision for a more accessible, more compassionate and more efficient justice system unfolds in the years to come.

No democracy without dissent, believes CJI Surya Kant

The CJI’s life reminds young lawyers that excellence comes not from privilege, but from preparation, perseverance and integrity.

Ranbir Singh

No democracy without dissent, believes CJI Surya Kant

The CJI’s life reminds young lawyers that excellence comes not from privilege, but from preparation, perseverance and integrity.

Ranbir Singh

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