List of Chief Justices of India 2024

The Chief Justice of India is the head of the judiciary system in India and is responsible for the allocation of cases and appointment of constitution

The Chief Justice of India (CJI) is the head of the judiciary and the Supreme Court, the highest judicial body in the country. This prestigious position holds immense responsibility in upholding the Constitution and ensuring justice for all. 

The List of Chief Justices of India 2024 reflects the legacy of leaders who have played a pivotal role in shaping India's legal framework since the inception of the Supreme Court in 1950. 

From H.J. Kania, the first Chief Justice, to the current incumbent, this list showcases a journey of legal brilliance and unwavering commitment to the rule of law. Understanding the List of Chief Justices of India 2024 is essential to appreciate the evolution of India's judiciary and its contribution to democracy. 

To date, there have been 50 Chief Justices in India. The First Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India was H.J. Kania. The list of Chief Justices of India is provided below:

List of all Chief Justices of India before Independence

Before India's independence in 1947, the highest judicial authority was the Federal Court of India, established in 1937 under the Government of India Act, 1935. The Chief Justice of the Federal Court held the highest judicial position. Here’s the list of Chief Justices of India before independence:

1. Maurice Gwyer
   Tenure: 1 October 1937 – 25 April 1943

2. Sir Patrick Spens
   Tenure: 26 April 1943 – 14 August 1947

These Chief Justices presided over the Federal Court, which later transitioned into the Supreme Court of India on 28 January 1950, following the adoption of the Indian Constitution.

List of all Chief Justices of India after Independence

Here’s the list of all Chief Justices of India with their tenure:

• H.J Kania: 26 January 1950 – 6 November 1951
• M. Patanjali Sastri: 7 November 1951 – 3 January 1954
• Mehr Chand Mahajan: 4 January 1954 – 22 December 1954
• Bijan Kumar Mukherjea: 23 December 1954 – 31 January 1956
• Sudhi Ranjan Das: 1 February 1956 – 30 September 1959
• Bhuvaneshwar Prasad Sinha: 1 October 1959 – 31 January 1964
• P. B. Gajendragadkar: 1 February 1964 – 15 March 1966
• Amal Kumar Sarkar: 16 March 1966 – 29 June 1966
• Koka Subba Rao: 30 June 1966 – 11 April 1967
• Kailas Nath Wanchoo: 12 April 1967 – 24 February 1968
• Mohammad Hidayatullah: 25 February 1968 – 16 December 1970
• Jayantilal Chhotalal Shah: 17 December 1970 – 21 January 1971
• Sarv Mittra Sikri: 22 January 1971 – 25 April 1973
• A. N. Ray: 26 April 1973 – 27 January 1977
• Mirza Hameedullah Beg: 29 January 1977 – 21 February 1978
• Y. V. Chandrachud: 22 February 1978 – 11 July 1985
• P. N. Bhagwati: 12 July 1985 – 20 December 1986
• Raghunandan Swarup Pathak: 21 December 1986 – 18 June 1989
• E. S. Venkataramiah: 19 June 1989 – 17 December 1989
• Sabyasachi Mukharji: 18 December 1989 – 25 September 1990
• Ranganath Misra: 26 September 1990 – 24 November 1991
• Kamal Narain Singh: 25 November 1991 – 12 December 1991
• Madhukar Hiralal Kania: 13 December 1991 – 17 November 1992
• Lalit Mohan Sharma: 18 November 1992 – 11 February 1993
• M. N. Venkatachaliah: 12 February 1993 – 24 October 1994
• A. M. Ahmadi: 25 October 1994 – 24 March 1997
• J. S. Verma: 25 March 1997 – 17 January 1998
• M. M. Punchhi: 18 January 1998 – 9 October 1998
• Adarsh Sein Anand: 10 October 1998 – 31 October 2001
• Sam Piroj Bharucha: 1 November 2001 – 5 May 2002
• Bhupinder Nath Kirpal: 6 May 2002 – 7 November 2002
• Gopal Ballav Pattanaik: 8 November 2002 – 18 December 2002
• V. N. Khare: 19 December 2002 – 1 May 2004
• S. Rajendra Babu: 2 May 2004 – 31 May 2004
• Ramesh Chandra Lahoti: 1 June 2004 – 31 October 2005
• Yogesh Kumar Sabharwal: 1 November 2005 – 13 January 2007
• K. G. Balakrishnan: 14 January 2007 – 12 May 2010
• S. H. Kapadia: 12 May 2010 – 28 September 2012
• Altamas Kabir: 29 September 2012 – 18 July 2013
• P. Sathasivam: 19 July 2013 – 26 April 2014
• Rajendra Mal Lodha: 27 April 2014 – 27 September 2014
• H. L. Dattu: 28 September 2014 – 2 December 2015
• T. S. Thakur: 3 December 2015 – 3 January 2017
• Jagdish Singh Khehar: 4 January 2017 – 27 August 2017
• Dipak Misra: 28 August 2017 – 2 October 2018
• Ranjan Gogoi: 3 October 2018 – 17 November 2019
• Sharad Arvind Bobde: 18 November 2019 – 23 April 2021
• N. V. Ramana: 24 April 2021 – 26 August 2022
• U. U. Lalit: 27 August 2022 – 8 November 2022
• D. Y. Chandrachud: 9 November 2022 – 12 November 2024
• Justice Sanjiv Khanna: November 13, 2024 - May 2025

Essential Points About Chief Justice of India

• The Chief Justice of India is appointed by the President and can hold the office up to the age of 65 years. 
• The Chief Justice submits his resignation to the President. 
• Article 125 of the Constitution of India governs the salary of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, who receives ₹280,000/- monthly as salary, along with other allowances.
• The first Chief Justice of India before independence was Sir Maurice Gwyer, and Justice Harilal Jekisundas Kania became the first Indian Chief Justice after Independence. 
• Kamal Narain Singh holds the record for the shortest-serving Chief Justice, with a tenure of just 17 days, while Justice Y. V. Chandrachud is the longest-serving Chief Justice in India, serving for 2696 days. 
• Fatimah Beevi made history as the first woman judge and the first woman Supreme Court Judge in India.

About the 50th Chief Justice of India

Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud is a former Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court and a former judge of the Bombay High Court. His father, Y.V. Chandrachud, holds the distinction of being the longest-serving Chief Justice of India, serving from February 22, 1978, to July 11, 1985.

Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud has delivered landmark verdicts, including the Ayodhya land dispute judgment and the K.S. Puttaswamy judgment, which upheld the right to privacy as a Fundamental Right. He was also part of benches that delivered judgments on Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (decriminalizing same-sex relations), the validity of the Aadhaar scheme, and the Sabarimala issue.

About the 51st Chief Justice of India

Justice Sanjiv Khanna assumed the office of the 51st Chief Justice of India on November 13, 2024, succeeding Justice D.Y. Chandrachud. Appointed by President Droupadi Murmu, his tenure is set to continue until May 2025. Known for his integrity and legal acumen, Justice Khanna has a distinguished judicial career marked by significant contributions to constitutional and civil law.

Early Life and Legal Career

Justice Khanna was born into a family with a legacy in the Indian judiciary. His uncle, Justice H.R. Khanna, is remembered for his courageous dissent in the ADM Jabalpur case during the Emergency period, where he upheld individual rights against authoritarianism. Justice Sanjiv Khanna graduated with a law degree from Delhi University and began practicing law in 1983.

Elevation and Supreme Court Tenure

Justice Khanna was appointed as a judge of the Delhi High Court in 2005 and later elevated to the Supreme Court of India in 2019. His appointment as Chief Justice followed years of impactful judgments and a reputation for fairness. Despite a somewhat controversial bypass of seniority during his Supreme Court elevation, Justice Khanna emerged as a respected figure in the legal fraternity.

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