New CJI Sanjiv Khanna Outlines Vision to Make Courts Approachable and User-Friendly

New Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna, has set forth a vision to make courts “approachable and user-friendly,” emphasizing the judiciary’s role as an independent and integral component of governance. Describing the judiciary as the guardian of the Constitution and protector of fundamental rights, Justice Khanna highlighted its responsibility to provide accessible and effective justice for all citizens.

In his outline, Justice Khanna identified several priorities: tackling the backlog of cases, simplifying complex legal procedures, and ensuring that litigation is both affordable and accessible. He expressed his intent to reduce trial durations by adopting a systemic approach and improving the justice delivery mechanism to make the process less challenging for citizens.

Justice Khanna’s approach, he shared, will be receptive, responsive, and self-evaluative, with a focus on reforming criminal case management. “Justice delivery should provide equal opportunity for success to all, regardless of status, wealth, or power, with a fair and unbiased adjudication process as core principles,” he emphasized.

Highlighting the judiciary’s constitutional duty, Justice Khanna reaffirmed the commitment to uphold citizens’ rights and ensure easy access to justice. At 64 years old, Justice Khanna took oath as the 51st Chief Justice of India, succeeding Justice DY Chandrachud. His tenure is set to last until May 13, 2025.

Justice Khanna has contributed to multiple landmark judgments, including upholding the validity of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), ruling the Electoral Bonds scheme unconstitutional, supporting the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, and granting interim bail to former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

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