The Chief Justice of India (CJI) is the highest-ranking officer in the Indian judiciary and serves as the head of the Supreme Court of India. The CJI plays an essential role in upholding the Constitution, ensuring justice, and guiding the country’s judiciary. Since the establishment of the Supreme Court on January 26, 1950, there have been 50 Chief Justices of India. Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, the 50th CJI, currently holds the office until 2024, after which Justice Sanjiv Khanna will assume the position as the 51st Chief Justice.
Here’s a complete list of all Chief Justices of India, highlighting their contributions, tenure, and notable decisions.
List of All Chief Justices of India (1950-2024)
| No. | Name | Date of Appointment | Held Office Till |
| 1 | Justice Harilal Jekisundas Kania | 26/01/1950 | 06/11/1951 |
| 2 | Justice M. Patanjali Sastri | 07/11/1951 | 03/01/1954 |
| 3 | Justice Mehr Chand Mahajan | 04/01/1954 | 22/12/1954 |
| 4 | Justice Bijan Kumar Mukherjea | 23/12/1954 | 31/01/1956 |
| 5 | Justice Sudhi Ranjan Das | 01/02/1956 | 30/09/1959 |
| 6 | Justice Bhuvneshwar Prasad Sinha | 01/10/1959 | 31/01/1964 |
| 7 | Justice P.B. Gajendragadkar | 01/02/1964 | 15/03/1966 |
| 8 | Justice A.K. Sarkar | 16/03/1966 | 29/06/1966 |
| 9 | Justice K. Subba Rao | 30/06/1966 | 11/04/1967 |
| 10 | Justice K.N. Wanchoo | 12/04/1967 | 24/02/1968 |
| 11 | Justice M. Hidayatullah | 25/02/1968 | 16/12/1970 |
| 12 | Justice J.C. Shah | 17/12/1970 | 21/01/1971 |
| 13 | Justice S.M. Sikri | 22/01/1971 | 25/04/1973 |
| 14 | Justice A.N. Ray | 26/04/1973 | 28/01/1977 |
| 15 | Justice M. Hameedullah Beg | 29/01/1977 | 21/02/1978 |
| 16 | Justice Y.V. Chandrachud | 22/02/1978 | 11/07/1985 |
| 17 | Justice P.N. Bhagwati | 12/07/1985 | 20/12/1986 |
| 18 | Justice R.S. Pathak | 21/12/1986 | 18/06/1989 |
| 19 | Justice E.S. Venkataramiah | 19/06/1989 | 17/12/1989 |
| 20 | Justice Sabyasachi Mukherjee | 18/12/1989 | 25/09/1990 |
| 21 | Justice Ranganath Misra | 25/09/1990 | 24/11/1991 |
| 22 | Justice K.N. Singh | 25/11/1991 | 12/12/1991 |
| 23 | Justice M.H. Kania | 13/12/1991 | 17/11/1992 |
| 24 | Justice L.M. Sharma | 18/11/1992 | 11/02/1993 |
| 25 | Justice M.N. Venkatachaliah | 12/02/1993 | 24/10/1994 |
| 26 | Justice A.M. Ahmadi | 25/10/1994 | 24/03/1997 |
| 27 | Justice J.S. Verma | 25/03/1997 | 17/01/1998 |
| 28 | Justice M.M. Punchhi | 18/01/1998 | 09/10/1998 |
| 29 | Justice A.S. Anand | 10/10/1998 | 31/10/2001 |
| 30 | Justice S.P. Bharucha | 01/11/2001 | 05/05/2002 |
| 31 | Justice B.N. Kirpal | 06/05/2002 | 07/11/2002 |
| 32 | Justice G.B. Pattanaik | 08/11/2002 | 18/12/2002 |
| 33 | Justice V.N. Khare | 19/12/2002 | 01/05/2004 |
| 34 | Justice S. Rajendra Babu | 02/05/2004 | 31/05/2004 |
| 35 | Justice R.C. Lahoti | 01/06/2004 | 31/10/2005 |
| 36 | Justice Y.K. Sabharwal | 01/11/2005 | 13/01/2007 |
| 37 | Justice K.G. Balakrishnan | 14/01/2007 | 12/05/2010 |
| 38 | Justice S.H. Kapadia | 12/05/2010 | 28/09/2012 |
| 39 | Justice Altamas Kabir | 29/09/2012 | 18/07/2013 |
| 40 | Justice P. Sathasivam | 19/07/2013 | 26/04/2014 |
| 41 | Justice R.M. Lodha | 27/04/2014 | 27/09/2014 |
| 42 | Justice H.L. Dattu | 28/09/2014 | 02/12/2015 |
| 43 | Justice T.S. Thakur | 03/12/2015 | 03/01/2017 |
| 44 | Justice J.S. Khehar | 04/01/2017 | 27/08/2017 |
| 45 | Justice Dipak Misra | 28/08/2017 | 02/10/2018 |
| 46 | Justice Ranjan Gogoi | 03/10/2018 | 17/11/2019 |
| 47 | Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde | 18/11/2019 | 23/04/2021 |
| 48 | Justice N.V. Ramana | 24/04/2021 | 26/08/2022 |
| 49 | Justice U.U. Lalit | 27/08/2022 | 08/11/2022 |
| 50 | Justice D.Y. Chandrachud | 09/11/2022 | 10/11/2024 |
| 51 | Justice Sanjiv Khanna | 10/11/2024 | 13/05/2025 |
Notable Chief Justices and Their Contributions
- Justice Harilal Jekisundas Kania (1950-1951)
- First Chief Justice of India, laid the foundational principles for judicial independence and interpretation of the Constitution.
- Justice Y.V. Chandrachud (1978-1985)
- The longest-serving CJI, known for landmark judgments including Minerva Mills v. Union of India, which upheld the balance between fundamental rights and directive principles.
- Justice M.N. Venkatachaliah (1993-1994)
- Known for his significant role in reforms and in the judgment of SR Bommai v. Union of India, defining the limits of Article 356 and the President’s rule in states.
- Justice K.G. Balakrishnan (2007-2010)
- First Dalit Chief Justice of India, known for his stance on affirmative action and handling PILs to protect citizens’ rights.
- Justice D.Y. Chandrachud (2022-2024)
- Known for landmark judgments in human rights, privacy, and equality. His tenure as CJI is notable for upholding the right to privacy and gender justice.
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FAQs on Chief Justices of India
The President of India appoints the Chief Justice of India, usually based on seniority.
The CJI serves until the age of 65. Their term depends on when they were appointed, as they must retire at 65.
The CJI leads the Supreme Court, presides over important cases, and serves as the head of the judiciary, ensuring judicial discipline and accountability.
Seniority is based on the date of appointment to the Supreme Court. The senior-most judge usually becomes the CJI.
The Supreme Court interprets the Constitution, safeguards citizens’ rights, and serves as the highest authority for legal matters.
No, the appointment cannot be legally challenged as it’s made per constitutional protocols.
Justice Harilal Jekisundas Kania was the first Chief Justice of India, appointed in 1950.
Justice Y.V. Chandrachud served as CJI from 1978 to 1985, holding office for over seven years.
Article 124 provides for the establishment of the Supreme Court, appointment, and removal of judges, including the CJI.
Justice Sanjiv Khanna is set to become the 51st CJI on November 10, 2024.
