List Of Chief Justices Of India: The Chief Justice of India (CJI) is the head of the Indian judiciary and is responsible for upholding constitutional values and ensuring justice for every citizen. Each CJI brings a distinct vision and approach to strengthening the legal system during their tenure. Since the Supreme Court’s establishment on 26 January 1950, a total of 53 judges have served as Chief Justice of India.

Justice Surya Kant is the 53rd Chief Justice of India 2026, assuming office on 24 November 2025, with a tenure marked by his focus on constitutional rights and judicial reforms.

Table of Contents

Chief Justice of India

The Chief Justice of India (CJI) stands at the apex of the judicial system and ensures that the Constitution is upheld in both spirit and practice. The CJI oversees the Supreme Court’s functioning, allocation of cases, and judicial appointments while guiding the overall direction of India’s legal framework. Justice Surya Kant, serving as the 53rd CJI of India 2026, is known for his balanced and rights-oriented judicial approach. He is set to lead the judiciary through a 15-month tenure, which will conclude on 9 February 2027, upon reaching the age of retirement.

List of Chief Justice of India from 1950-2026

Since its establishment in 1950, the Supreme Court of India has been led by 53 Chief Justices, each playing a vital role in shaping the country’s judicial system. Below is the complete List of Chief Justice of India from 1950-2026:

Here’s the list of the Chief Justices of India from 1950 to present. The list includes:

No.	Name	Date of Appointment	Held Office Till
1	Hon’ble Justice Harilal Jekisundas Kania	26/01/1950	06/11/1951
2	Hon’ble Justice M. Patanjali Sastri	07/11/1951	03/01/1954
3	Hon’ble Justice Mehr Chand Mahajan	04/01/1954	22/12/1954
4	Hon’ble Justice Bijan Kumar Mukherjea	23/12/1954	31/01/1956
5	Hon’ble Justice Sudhi Ranjan Das	01/02/1956	30/09/1959
6	Hon’ble Justice Bhuvneshwar Prasad Sinha	01/10/1959	31/01/1964
7	Hon’ble Justice P.B. Gajendragadkar	01/02/1964	15/03/1966
8	Hon’ble Justice A.K. Sarkar	16/03/1966	29/06/1966
9	Hon’ble Justice K. Subba Rao	30/06/1966	11/04/1967
10	Hon’ble Justice K.N. Wanchoo	12/04/1967	24/02/1968
11	Hon’ble Justice M. Hidayatullah	25/02/1968	16/12/1970
12	Hon’ble Justice J.C. Shah	17/12/1970	21/01/1971
13	Hon’ble Justice S.M. Sikri	22/01/1971	25/04/1973
14	Hon’ble Justice A.N. Ray	26/04/1973	28/01/1977
15	Hon’ble Justice M. Hameedullah Beg	29/01/1977	21/02/1978
16	Hon’ble Justice Y.V. Chandrachud	22/02/1978	11/07/1985
17	Hon’ble Justice P.N. Bhagwati	12/07/1985	20/12/1986
18	Hon’ble Justice R.S. Pathak	21/12/1986	18/06/1989
19	Hon’ble Justice E.S. Venkataramiah	19/06/1989	17/12/1989
20	Hon’ble Justice Sabyasachi Mukherjee	18/12/1989	25/09/1990
21	Hon’ble Justice Ranganath Misra	25/09/1990	24/11/1991
22	Hon’ble Justice K.N. Singh	25/11/1991	12/12/1991
23	Hon’ble Justice M.H. Kania	13/12/1991	17/11/1992
24	Hon’ble Justice L.M. Sharma	18/11/1992	11/02/1993
25	Hon’ble Justice M.N. Venkatachaliah	12/02/1993	24/10/1994
26	Hon’ble Justice A.M. Ahmadi	25/10/1994	24/03/1997
27	Hon’ble Justice J.S. Verma	25/03/1997	17/01/1998
28	Hon’ble Justice M.M. Punchhi	18/01/1998	09/10/1998
29	Hon’ble Dr. Justice A.S. Anand	10/10/1998	31/10/2001
30	Hon’ble Justice S.P. Bharucha	01/11/2001	05/05/2002
31	Hon’ble Justice B.N. Kirpal	06/05/2002	07/11/2002
32	Hon’ble Justice G.B. Pattanaik	08/11/2002	18/12/2002
33	Hon’ble Justice V.N. Khare	19/12/2002	01/05/2004
34	Hon’ble Justice S. Rajendra Babu	02/05/2004	31/05/2004
35	Hon’ble Justice R.C. Lahoti	01/06/2004	31/10/2005
36	Hon’ble Justice Y.K. Sabharwal	01/11/2005	13/01/2007
37	Hon’ble Justice K.G. Balakrishnan	14/01/2007	12/05/2010
38	Hon’ble Justice S.H. Kapadia	12/05/2010	28/09/2012
39	Hon’ble Justice Altamas Kabir	29/09/2012	18/07/2013
40	Hon’ble Justice P. Sathasivam	19/07/2013	26/04/2014
41	Hon’ble Justice R. M. Lodha	27/04/2014	27/09/2014
42	Hon’ble Justice H.L. Dattu	28/09/2014	02/12/2015
43	Hon’ble Justice T. S. Thakur	03/12/2015	03/01/2017
44	Hon’ble Jagdish Singh Khehar	04/01/2017	27/08/2017
45	Hon’ble Justice Dipak Misra	28/08/2017	02/10/2018
46	Hon’ble Ranjan Gogoi	03/10/2018	17/11/2019
47	Hon’ble Sharad Arvind Bobde	18/11/2019	23/04/2021
48	Hon’ble Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana	24/04/2021	26/08/2022
49	Hon’ble UU Lalit	27/08/2022	08/11/2022
50	Hon’ble DY Chandrachud	09/11/2022	10/11/2024
51	Hon’ble Justice Sanjiv Khanna	11/11/24	13/05/25
52	Hon’ble Justice B R Gavai	14/05/25	23/11/25
53	Hon’ble Justice Surya Kant	24/11/25	09/02/26

Also Read: List of Prime Ministers of India from 1947 to till date

Chief Justice of India Appointment Process

The Constitution does not specifically outline the Chief Justice of India Appointment Process (CJI), but over time, conventions and seniority have guided the selection.

Seniority Principle: The senior-most Supreme Court judge is usually recommended for the position.
Recommendation Process: The outgoing CJI suggests their successor based on seniority.
Executive Approval: The Union Law Minister forwards the recommendation to the Prime Minister, who advises the President for final approval.
Exceptions: In 1973 and 1977, seniority was bypassed, but a 1993 ruling reinforced the convention of appointing the senior-most judge.

First Chief Justice of India

Justice Harilal Jekisundas Kania became First Chief Justice of India on January 26, 1950, and served until his passing on November 6, 1951. As the first head of the Supreme Court, which replaced the Federal Court of India, Justice Kania played a key role in shaping the country’s judicial system after independence. His tenure was crucial in establishing judicial independence and interpreting the newly adopted Constitution. The decisions made under his leadership set important legal precedents, laying the foundation for the Supreme Court’s functioning in the years to come.

Current Chief Justice of India

As the 53rd Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant leads the functioning of the judiciary, oversees the allocation of cases, and constitutes benches for significant matters. His tenure reflects a strong focus on protecting constitutional rights, improving judicial efficiency, and strengthening transparency in the justice system. Known for his balanced and citizen-centric approach, he has contributed to key constitutional discussions and major judicial reforms. Justice Surya Kant’s leadership continues to shape the Supreme Court’s role in upholding justice and constitutional integrity.

Notable Judgments by Chief Justice Surya Kant:

Article 370 Abrogation: He was part of the bench that upheld the abrogation of Article 370, supporting the reorganization of Jammu & Kashmir.
Pegasus Spyware Surveillance: In a high-profile case, he co-authored a judgment ordering a technical committee to investigate alleged use of Pegasus, holding that “national security” cannot be a blanket shield.
Sedition Law (Section 124A IPC): He was on the bench that put the colonial-era sedition law in abeyance, suspending new FIRs till a review is done, a major win for free speech.
One Rank One Pension (OROP): He upheld the OROP scheme for ex-servicemen, calling it constitutionally valid.
Gender Justice & Local Governance: He reinstated a woman sarpanch who had been removed unfairly and decried gender bias, showing his commitment to grassroots democracy.
Women in Bar Associations: He directed that one-third of seats in bar associations (including SC Bar) be reserved for women.
Environmental Protection: In Jitendra Singh v. Ministry of Environment, he held that village ponds are “public utilities,” and their destruction can violate the right to life (Article 21).
Victim’s Right to be Heard: In Jagjeet Singh v. Ashish Mishra, he ruled that victims have the right to be heard right from the investigation stage, not just during trial.

Next Chief Justice of India

Justice Vikram Nath is set to become the next Chief Justice of India after Justice Surya Kant, serving from 7 February 2027 to 23 September 2027, a tenure of nearly eight months. Elevated to the Supreme Court in August 2021, he previously served in the Allahabad High Court and has developed strong expertise in labour law, service law, and civil law. During his time in the Supreme Court, he has been part of 180 benches and has authored 40 judgments, reflecting his consistent contribution to the judiciary.

Succeeding Chief Justices of India (2026-2033)

If the seniority principle continues to guide appointments, the following eight judges will successively serve as Chief Justices of India (CJI) from 2026 to 2033. Each of these judges has made significant contributions to the Indian judiciary through landmark judgments and constitutional interpretation. The list below highlights their expected tenures, judicial achievements, and key constitutional moments, including the historic appointment of the first female CJI.

Succeeding Chief Justices of India (2026-2033)

1. Justice Surya Kant

Expected Tenure: 1.2 years
Date of Retirement: 9 Feb 2027
Significance: From Punjab & Haryana HC; part of Constitution Bench on Abrogation of Article 370 and Citizenship Act validity; authored 291 SC judgments; upheld minority status of AMU (dissent).

2. Justice Vikram Nath

Expected Tenure: 7 months
Date of Retirement: 23 Sept 2027
Significance: From Allahabad HC; Chief Justice of Gujarat HC; sat on Bench deciding Bhopal Gas Tragedy compensation and SC/ST sub-classification; authored 260 judgments.

3. Justice B.V. Nagarathna

Expected Tenure: 36 days
Date of Retirement: 30 Oct 2027
Significance: First Woman Chief Justice of India; known for dissent in Demonetisation case; emphasized constitutional procedure and federal balance; authored 326 judgments.

4. Justice P.S. Narasimha

Expected Tenure: 6+ months
Date of Retirement: 4 May 2028
Significance: Third Bar-elevated CJI; argued landmark cases: Ayodhya dispute, NJAC case, Euthanasia verdict; authored 218 judgments; dissent on arbitration clause violating Article 14.

5. Justice J.B. Pardiwala

Expected Tenure: 2+ years
Date of Retirement: 11 Aug 2030
Significance: From Gujarat HC; EWS Reservation judgment; dissent in Citizenship Act Section 6A; rulings on Governor assent timelines and stray dog relocation; 307 authored judgments.

6. Justice K.V. Viswanathan

Expected Tenure: 10 months
Date of Retirement: 25 May 2031
Significance: Fourth CJI from the Bar; represented Internet Freedom Foundation in WhatsApp privacy case; involved in marriage equality plea; 78 authored judgments; promoted judicial reforms.

7. Justice Joymalya Bagchi

Expected Tenure: 4 months
Date of Retirement: 2 Oct 2031
Significance: From Calcutta HC; first judge from Calcutta to reach CJI post since 2013; part of Electoral Rolls Review case; 17 judgments; emphasized judicial inclusion in appointments.

8 Justice Vipul Pancholi

Expected Tenure: 1.5 years
Date of Retirement: May 2033
Significance: From Gujarat HC; later Chief Justice of Patna HC; appointment debated within Collegium; will be 60th CJI; key judgments expected in judicial accountability and reform.

Chief Justice of India FAQs

Q1. Who is the present Chief Justice of India?

Ans. Hon’ble Mr. Justice B R Gavai is serving as the Current Chief Justice of India.

Q2. Who was the first woman Chief Justice in India?

Ans. India has never had a woman Chief Justice of India (CJI). However, Justice B.V. Nagarathna is set to become the first Woman CJI in September 2027

Q3. Who is the 44 Chief Justice of India?

Ans. Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar served as the 44th Chief Justice of India from January 4, 2017, to August 27, 2017. He was the first Sikh CJI.

Q4. Who is the current Chief Supreme Justice?

Ans. The current Chief Justice of India is Justice B.R. Gavai, serving since 14 May 2025 and retiring 23 November 2025

Q5. What is the salary of CJI in India?

Ans. The Chief Justice of India (CJI) earns a monthly salary of ₹2,80,000