Khanna was enrolled as an Advocate in the
Bar Council of Delhi in the year 1983. In 2004, he also served as the Standing Counsel (Civil) for the
National Capital Territory of Delhi, and before this appointment, he was working as the Senior Standing Counsel for the
Income Tax Department. On 24 June 2005, he was elevated as an additional judge of the Delhi High Court and made permanent on 20 February 2006. He was elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court of India on 18 January 2019. Khanna was elevated despite 32 other High Court judges being more senior than him. His elevation sparked controversy within judicial circles; however, his appointment was approved by the
Government of India. Khanna took oath as the 51st Chief Justice of India (CJI) after the retirement of Chief Justice Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud on 11 November 2024 during a ceremony held at
Rashtrapati Bhavan. Khanna retired as the CJI on 13 May 2025, and was succeeded by
Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai as the next CJI. Khanna stated that he would not accept any official roles after his retirement; however, he would seek to remain in the field of law. == Personal life ==