Justice Khanna will be sworn in as Chief Justice on Monday.

New Delhi:

Justice Sanjiv Khanna will be sworn in as the 51st Chief Justice of India on Monday and has already had to stop an activity dear to him: his solitary morning walks.

Sources said that every morning, Justice Khanna would walk several kilometers alone in the Lodhi Garden area and around his house, believing that no one would recognize him. After his appointment as the next chief justice was notified late last month, he was advised to go for his morning walk accompanied by security personnel. They said Justice Khanna refused because he was not used to doing this and decided to abandon morning walks altogether.

Having completed his schooling from the Modern School, Barakhamba Road, completed his graduation from St Stephen’s College and his law degree from the Campus Law Centre, University of Delhi, Justice Khanna is very familiar with every nook and corner of Delhi. Sources said that the Chief Justice-designate is always in touch with his friends from school, college and Campus Law Center and prefers to drive to their homes himself.

His friends said Justice Khanna had not changed much since his school and college days. “He is simple, calm and likes to stay away from the cameras and publicity,” a friend said.

An example of this happened during the Lok Sabha elections in May, when journalists had gathered and waited for Justice Khanna to cast his vote at the Nirman Bhawan polling center in Delhi. Justice Khanna, however, drove to the center in his personal car and returned home, leaving journalists in the dark as they were waiting for his official car and security guards.

Justice Khanna will serve a six-month term as Chief Justice and retire on May 13, 2025.