Sanjiv Khanna, born on May 14, 1960, is a judge of the Supreme Court of India and a former judge of the Delhi High Court, a position previously held by his father, Justice Dev Raj Khanna. He also serves as the ex officio executive chairman of the National Legal Services Authority and is set to become the 51st Chief Justice of India. He was enrolled as an Advocate with the Bar Council of Delhi in 1983. On June 24, 2005, he was appointed as an additional judge of the Delhi High Court, becoming a permanent judge on February 20, 2006.
Sanjiv Khanna Biography 2025
Khanna was elevated to the Supreme Court of India on January 18, 2019. He is in line to succeed the current Chief Justice, Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud, upon his retirement. Additionally, Khanna is the nephew of former Supreme Court Justice Hans Raj Khanna, who is known for establishing the basic structure doctrine in 1973 and for his dissenting opinion in the landmark Habeas Corpus case, ADM Jabalpur v. Shiv Kant Shukla, in 1976. Justice Hans Raj Khanna was controversially superseded for the position of Chief Justice of India by M. H. Beg at the request of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, leading him to resign from the court in early 1977.
Sanjiv Khanna Biography Details
Born |
14 May 1960 (age 64)
New Delhi, India |
Relations |
Hans Raj Khanna (uncle) |
Alma mater |
University of Delhi |
Sanjiv Khanna Early Life
Khanna completed his schooling at Modern School in New Delhi, graduating in 1977. He earned his undergraduate degree from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, in 1980, and later studied law at the Campus Law Centre of the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi. His father, Justice Dev Raj Khanna, retired from the Delhi High Court in 1985, while his mother, Saroj Khanna, was a Hindi lecturer at Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi.
Sanjiv Khanna Physical Attributes
Feature |
Measurement |
Height |
175 cm (5′ 9″) |
Weight |
70 kg (154 lbs) |
Eye Colour |
Black |
Hair Colour |
Black |
Judicial Service Timeline
Service Years |
Position |
1983-2025 |
Various Judicial Roles |
1983 |
Enrolled Advocate, Bar Council of Delhi |
2005 |
Additional Judge, Delhi High Court |
2006 |
Permanent Judge, Delhi High Court |
2019 |
Judge, Supreme Court of India |
2025 |
Chief Justice of India |
Notable Judgments
Case Name |
Key Ruling |
Shilpa Sailesh v Varun Sreenivasan |
Supreme Court can grant divorce under Article 142 for irretrievable breakdown of marriage. |
CPIO v Subhash Chandra Agarwal |
Office of the Chief Justice is subject to RTI, but privacy must be safeguarded. |
Notable Dissents
Case Name |
Key Dissent |
Amish Devgan vs Union of India |
Emphasized that freedom of speech cannot infringe upon the right to privacy. |
Revising Fee Scale for Arbitrators |
Asserted the arbitral tribunal’s authority to determine reasonable fees in absence of an agreement. |
Personal Information
Feature |
Details |
Date of Birth |
May 14, 1960 |
Age |
64 Years (as of 2025) |
Birthplace |
Delhi, India |
Zodiac Sign |
Taurus |
Educational Background
Institution |
Degree |
Modern School, Barakhamba Road, Delhi |
High School |
St. Stephen’s College, Delhi |
Graduation (1980) |
Campus Law Centre, Delhi University |
LLB |
Family Details
Relation |
Name |
Spouse |
Name not disclosed |
Children |
One Son (name not disclosed) |
Father |
Justice Dev Raj Khanna (deceased) |
Mother |
Saroj Khanna (Hindi Lecturer) |
Siblings |
One Brother |
Other Relatives |
Justice Hans Raj Khanna (uncle) |
Financial Overview of Sanjiv Khanna
Asset Type |
Description |
Residential Property |
Three-bedroom DDA flat in South Delhi |
House |
326 sq. yards house in East Delhi (jointly owned) |
Ancestral Property |
House in Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh |
Career Highlights of Sanjiv Khanna
Year |
Achievement |
1983 |
Enrolled as Advocate |
2005 |
Elevated to Additional Judge |
2006 |
Became Permanent Judge |
2019 |
Appointed as Judge of Supreme Court |
2025 |
Assumed role of Chief Justice of India |
Judicial Philosophy of Sanjiv Khanna
Principle |
Description |
Judicial Independence |
Stresses the need for judicial accountability alongside independence. |
Right to Privacy |
Advocates for protecting individual privacy in judicial proceedings. |
Access to Justice |
Supports initiatives to enhance legal aid and access to justice for all. |
Major Contributions to Legal Reform
Initiative |
Description |
Promoting RTI |
Advocated for transparency in judicial processes. |
Enhancing Legal Aid |
Worked towards strengthening legal aid services. |
Recent Cases Involving Sanjiv Khanna
Date |
Case Name |
Outcome |
2025-10-24 |
IND Women vs NZ Women |
[Details of case outcome] |
2025-09-29 |
IND Women vs WI Women |
[Details of case outcome] |
Sanjiv Khanna Net Worth
His current net worth is approximately INR 300 Cr.
Sanjiv Khanna Summary
Sanjiv Khanna’s tenure as a judge and Chief Justice of India has been marked by significant contributions to Indian law, particularly through his judicious rulings on fundamental rights and judicial independence. His background and experiences uniquely position him to influence the future of the judiciary in India, ensuring justice is upheld while balancing individual rights and societal needs.