New Delhi [India], May 14 : As senior lawyers and fellow Supreme Court judges were in all praise of his judgeship, the Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna, on his final day in office, sat on his bench with a sense of relief and gratitude, marking the end of his tenure as the nation's top judge on Tuesday.
Speaking at a farewell ceremony organized by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), Justice Khanna reflected on his journey with humility and clarity. "Now, at 65, as I prepare to retire, I do so with gratitude, reflection, and yes, a sense of satisfaction. Age will see me off as a judge," he said. "I can say this much, I am equally eager to get rid of the judge in me," he added.
The Chief Justice described seeing his robe hung for the final time this morning as a moment of "bliss" and stated that, as opposed to others who often feel bitter-sweet on their retirement, he simply felt happy "This morning, as the robe was hung for the final time, the weight of responsibility lifted from my shoulder, and quite honestly, I felt a sense of bliss. This is certainly an emotional moment. I've attended many farewells. A sentiment commonly expressed on such occasions is that of "mixed feelings" -- a bittersweet moment. Let me confess -- I have no mixed feelings. I am simply happy", the CJI said in his speech.
In his speech, he also addressed how he was often seen as a "conservative" or a "by the book" judge. In response, he said he reflected on this perception and turned to data to examine his own record.
The CJI said that as a judge hearing criminal appeals at the High Court, he found that he had overturned convictions in about 33-35 per cent of cases. This, he noted, was almost the same as the rate on other benches. However, he pointed out one key difference: acquittals were more common in cases argued by amicus curiae (court-appointed lawyers) than those argued by senior counsel.
CJI Khanna also spoke candidly about an issue that concerns him -- the growing lack of truthfulness in the legal profession. He said, "As I step down from the Bench, I would like to speak about something that bothers me - truth deficit in our profession".
He emphasized that a judge's primary duty is to seek the truth, quoting Mahatma Gandhi's belief that "truth is God," not just as a spiritual idea, but as a guiding principle in life and law.
Justice Khanna stressed that truth is more than just a fact--it holds legal power. He noted that courts often come across cases where facts are hidden or even deliberately misrepresented. He said this problem arises from a mistaken belief that unless there is some deliberate padding on the evidence. The case won't succeed.
The CJI explained that this mindset is not only ethically and morally wrong--it also doesn't work. "In fact, it complicates the process, making the Court's job significantly harder. Because behind every falsehood, we are forced to dig deeper and longer to uncover the truth", the CJI stated.
Justice Khanna retired on Tuesday as the 51st CJI after having held the top judgeship since November 11, 2024. He was elevated to the Supreme Court of India on January 18, 2019.
Earlier, at the age of 45, Justice Khanna, who had been a lawyer in Delhi, was elevated to the Delhi High Court as a judge. "It was only after donning the robes of a Judge that I truly understood the weight of the responsibility bestowed on us by the Constitution and by the people of this country," CJI said as he reflected upon his journey in the legal profession.
The CJI concluded his speech by expressing gratitude to his fellow judges, past and present, who have been part of his journey. He also extended his best wishes to Justice B.R. Gavai, who is set to take oath as the 52nd Chief Justice of India on Wednesday.