President Droupadi Murmu has chosen Justice Sanjiv Khanna, the Supreme Court’s senior-most judge, to head the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) as its Executive Chairman. Justice Khanna takes over from Justice S.K. Kaul, who retired on December 25th.
This appointment follows a long-standing tradition of naming the second-highest ranking Supreme Court judge to lead NALSA. Established by the Legal Services Authority Act of 1987, NALSA works to ensure legal aid and access to justice for the underprivileged. While the Chief Justice of India serves as NALSA’s Patron-in-Chief, the President, in consultation with the CJI, appoints an active or retired Supreme Court judge as Executive Chairman to oversee the organization’s day-to-day operations.
Justice Khanna’s extensive legal experience and leadership qualities make him well-suited to tackle the challenges of providing legal aid and promoting justice for all. This appointment signifies the government’s commitment to upholding the right to legal representation and ensuring equal access to justice for all citizens of India.