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Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna will end his 20 years of judgeship as he retires as the CJI  on Tuesday. On his last day, the CJI met colleagues at the Supreme Court and bid them farewell.

The Chief Justice praised Chief Justice-designate BR Gavai and said he would uphold fundamental rights and liberty.

Talking about him, CJI Justice Khanna said Justice BR Gavai has been his “biggest support". “In him, you will have a great CJI," CJI Khanna told the ceremonial bench.

Justice BR Gavai will take the oath as the 52nd Chief Justice of India on Wednesday.

The ceremonial bench comprised the outgoing CJI, Justice Gavai, and Justice Sanjay Kumar, showcasing a rare moment of reflection, celebration, and reverence, not just for Justice Khanna’s contributions, but the legacy of his uncle, former Supreme Court judge Justice H R Khanna, that he took forward.

Won’t Accept Any Post-Retirement Post: CJI Khanna

CJI Khanna also said that he would not accept any post-retirement post. His remark came during an address on a ceremonial bench on the day of his retirement.

CJI Khanna said that public trust cannot be commanded and asserted that it has to be earned and that the Supreme Court has done it.

“I am speechless. I carry a lot of memories. Once you are a lawyer, you remain a lawyer… Judiciary is a common term that represents the Bench and the Bar. Bar is the conscience keeper," he said.

Justice Khanna was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Delhi High Court in 2005. Later, he became a permanent judge. He was elevated to the Supreme Court in 2019 and assumed the role of Chief Justice last November.

During his stint at the apex court, Justice Khanna was part of several landmark judgments that included Article 370, decriminalisation of adultery, the electoral bonds scheme, and the EVM-VVPAT tally case.

Justice Gavai, who would assume the CJI office on May 14, said Justice Khanna “embraced his legacy" and built his own.

He called it not a farewell but a transition and said, “What ends today is not a career, but the beginning of another." Justice Gavai acknowledged the weight of legacy Justice Khanna bore as the nephew of Justice H R Khanna, the lone dissenter in the 1976 ADM Jabalpur case who stood for constitutional rights during the emergency.

“To walk in the shadow of such a name is no small task," he said, “but Justice Sanjiv Khanna did more than uphold that legacy; he made it his own." Justice Gavai praised his predecessor for his clarity, moral conviction, and commitment to fundamental rights, describing his judgments as “simple, elegant, and imbued with constitutional values".
He also recalled their collegial relationship, noting their shared journey from elevation to the Supreme Court to collegium deliberations.