The Delhi High Court Bar Association on Friday felicitated Chief Justice of India Justice Sanjiv Khanna, celebrating his appointment to coveted top post in the Indian judiciary.

Expressing gratitude to his "home", Justice Khanna, a former Delhi High Court judge, said, "I owe everything to this institution." "This is the most cosmopolitan high court in the country. Nobody is treated as an outsider.. My primary aim (of coming today) was.. to express my gratitude to my court, my home for whatever I have achieved as a lawyer and then as a judge. I owe everything to this institution," said CJI Khanna at the felicitation event held by the DHCBA in the high court premises.

The CJI practiced as a lawyer in the Delhi High Court for 22 years and served as a judge there for 13 years before his elevation to the Supreme Court in January, 2019.

CJI Khanna will remain in office for a little over six months before demitting it on May 13, 2025 upon attaining 65 years.

Several dignitaries, including judges of the Supreme Court and the high court, attended the event.

Supreme Court judge Justice Surya Kant, who spoke on the occasion, said he was certain about CJI Khanna receiving full support from different stakeholders to achieve his goal to eliminate pendency in courts.

"I am sure the entire team of the Supreme Court and the high courts will cooperate with the CJI so that the first goal that he has targeted, to eliminate arrears to the extent possible, can be successfully achieved. We will extend full support," shared Justice Kant.

Delhi HC Chief Justice Manmohan said CJI Khanna was ethical, disciplined and trustworthy, underlining his appointment was a proud moment for the high court bar.

"Because of the qualities that he has, I think we are in for a very good time and the image of the judiciary as well as the Supreme Court is bound to become better with time," said Justice Manmohan.

DHCBA president and senior advocate Mohit Mathur urged CJI Khanna to take up the issue of elevation of lawyers as judges besides the representation of the high court in the top court.

"After 17 years, we can claim (the CJI) to be ours. What a coincidence that today we have both CJI and our own chief justice who are original Delhi products.. More than felicitation, this is a celebration for all of us.. that we have someone who has gone from amidst us," said Mathur.

Justice Khanna was sworn in as the 51st CJI on November 11 and his oath was administered by President Droupadi Murmu. He succeeded former CJI D Y Chandrachud.

Hailing from an illustrious Delhi-based family, Justice Khanna is the son of former Delhi High Court judge Justice Dev Raj Khanna and the nephew of the iconic late former apex court judge H R Khanna.

A third-generation lawyer before being elevated to the Delhi High Court, the 64-year-old is driven by the zeal to reduce pendency and speed up justice delivery.

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