Justice Misra is new CJI

Justice Dipak Misra was on Monday sworn in as the 45th Chief Justice of India.

President Ramnath Kovind administered the oath of office to Misra at a brief ceremony in the Darbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhawan. Justice Misra took the oath in English in the name of God. He assumed office following the retirement of Justice J S Khehar on Sunday. He will remain in office till October 2, 2018.

Justice Misra headed the bench that confirmed the death sentence of Mumbai serial blasts case convict Yakub Memon.

He was part of the bench that confirmed the death sentence of the four convicts in the December 16 gang-rape case and passed the order for the mandatory singing of the ational Anthem in cinema halls.

He is currently presiding over a bench hearing the Cauvery and Krishna river water disputes, BCCI reforms and Sahara case among others.

Justice Misra, along with Justice P C Pant, had in May, declined to de-criminalise defamation — an offence punishable with two years in jail apart from fine — saying the right to free speech cannot mean that a citizen can defame 

anybody.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several union ministers were present at the ceremony. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad were also present.