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Chief Justice of India List, Appointment Procedure, Qualifications, Tenure

PWOnlyIAS November 11, 2024 07:15 561 0

New Chief Justice of India Justice Sanjiv Khanna has been appointed as the 51st Chief Justice of India. Check out the complete Chief Justice of India List and know more about it.

Chief Justice of India List, Appointment Procedure, Qualifications, Tenure

The Chief Justice of India (CJI) is the highest-ranking judge of the Supreme Court of India and holds a crucial role in the judiciary, overseeing judicial and administrative functions of the Supreme Court. Justice Sanjiv Khanna, recently appointed as the 51st Chief Justice of India, succeeded Justice D.Y. Chandrachud. His tenure marks a continuation of the Supreme Court’s commitment to justice and constitutional values.

51st Chief Justice of India

Who is Justice Sanjiv Khanna
SEO – Who is Justice Sanjiv Khanna?

Justice Sanjiv Khanna has been appointed as the 51st Chief Justice of India. He took the oath of office on Novemeber 11, 2024, succeeding Justice D.Y. Chandrachud. He is well-known for this commitment to constitutional values during this tenure of the chairman of the Supreme Court Legal Service Committee from June 17 to December 25, 2023. His appointment reflects continuity in judicial leadership, and he will serve as the head of the Indian judiciary, overseeing crucial cases and guiding judicial administration.

Also Read: Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna

About the Chief Justice of India (CJI)

The Chief Justice of India serves as the administrative and judicial head of the Supreme Court, presiding over court proceedings and guiding judicial policy and administration. The CJI also plays a pivotal role in the appointment and transfer of judges within the judiciary, as well as in upholding the independence of the judiciary in India.

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Key Responsibilities of the CJI:

  1. Administrative Head: Supervises court operations, ensuring efficient functioning.
  2. Case Allocation: Allocates cases to specific benches and determines bench strength.
  3. Collegium Head: Heads the Supreme Court Collegium, responsible for recommending appointments and transfers of judges.
  4. Advisory Role: Acts as a key advisor to the government on constitutional and legal matters.

The Constitution of India provides a legal framework for the functioning of the Supreme Court and the office of the Chief Justice. Key provisions include:

  • Article 124(1): Establishes the Supreme Court, including the Chief Justice of India.
  • Article 124(2): Stipulates that the President of India appoints all Supreme Court judges, including the CJI.
  • Article 124(4): Details the grounds and procedure for the removal of a judge, including the CJI, for misconduct or incapacity.
  • Article 128: Empowers the CJI to request qualified individuals, such as former judges, to act as Supreme Court judges with the President’s consent.

Appointment Process of the Chief Justice of India

The Constitution does not explicitly define the appointment process for the Chief Justice, but conventions and seniority principles have shaped the procedure over time. Here’s how the CJI is appointed:

  1. Seniority Norm: By convention, the senior-most Supreme Court judge is recommended as the next Chief Justice of India.
  2. Recommendation by Outgoing CJI: The outgoing CJI recommends the senior-most judge as their successor.
  3. Executive Role: The Union Law Minister forwards the recommendation to the Prime Minister, who then advises the President.
  4. Exceptions to Seniority: There have been exceptions in 1973 and 1977, where justices A.N. Ray and M.H. Beg were appointed over more senior judges. However, the Second Judges Case (1993) reaffirmed that the senior-most judge should typically be appointed CJI.

Qualifications to Become Chief Justice of India

To qualify for the position of Chief Justice, an individual must meet specific criteria that ensure the candidate’s judicial expertise and commitment:

  • Must be a citizen of India.
  • Must have served as a judge in a High Court for at least five years or practiced as an advocate in a High Court for at least ten years.
  • Alternatively, can be someone deemed a distinguished jurist by the President.

Removal of the Chief Justice of India

The Chief Justice can only be removed through a formal impeachment process for proven misbehavior or incapacity. The process involves:

  1. Presidential Order: The President can remove the CJI after an address by Parliament.
  2. Special Majority Requirement:
    • A majority of the total membership of each House of Parliament.
    • At least two-thirds of the members present and voting in each House.

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Roles and Powers of the Chief Justice of India

The CJI plays a multifaceted role, balancing judicial responsibilities with administrative oversight to maintain the integrity of India’s judiciary. Some of the primary roles and powers include:

  1. Administrative Head: Manages the Supreme Court’s daily operations, schedules hearings, and ensures smooth functioning.
  2. Allocation of Cases: The CJI assigns cases to specific benches, allowing for efficient handling of cases based on expertise and experience.
  3. Determining Bench Strength: Decides the number of judges needed for different cases, particularly for constitutional benches handling critical cases.
  4. Head of the Supreme Court Collegium: Leads the Collegium, a system developed through Supreme Court judgments (the Judges Cases), which is responsible for the appointment and transfer of judges.
  5. Appointment of Acting Judges (Article 128): The CJI, with the President’s consent, can invite qualified former Supreme Court or High Court judges to temporarily serve on the Supreme Court.

Full Chief Justices of India List

Here is the complete list of Chief Justices of India, from the first CJI in 1950 to the current CJI, Justice Sanjiv Khanna.

SN Name Start of Term End of Term Tenure
1 Harilal Jekisundas Kania 26 January 1950 6 November 1951† 1 year, 284 days
2 Mandakolathur Patanjali Sastri 7 November 1951 3 January 1954 2 years, 57 days
3 Mehr Chand Mahajan 4 January 1954 22 December 1954 352 days
4 Bijan Kumar Mukherjea 23 December 1954 31 January 1956‡ 1 year, 39 days
5 Sudhi Ranjan Das 1 February 1956 30 September 1959 3 years, 241 days
6 Bhuvaneshwar Prasad Sinha 1 October 1959 31 January 1964 4 years, 122 days
7 Pralhad Balacharya Gajendragadkar 1 February 1964 15 March 1966 2 years, 42 days
8 Amal Kumar Sarkar 16 March 1966 29 June 1966 105 days
9 Koka Subba Rao 30 June 1966 11 April 1967‡ 285 days
10 Kailas Nath Wanchoo 12 April 1967 24 February 1968 318 days
11 Mohammad Hidayatullah 25 February 1968 16 December 1970 2 years, 294 days
12 Jayantilal Chhotalal Shah 17 December 1970 21 January 1971 35 days
13 Sarv Mittra Sikri 22 January 1971 25 April 1973 2 years, 93 days
14 Ajit Nath Ray 26 April 1973 28 January 1977 3 years, 276 days
15 Mirza Hameedullah Beg 29 January 1977 21 February 1978 1 year, 24 days
16 Yeshwant Vishnu Chandrachud 22 February 1978 11 July 1985 7 years, 139 days
17 Prafullachandra Natwarlal Bhagwati 12 July 1985 20 December 1986 1 year, 161 days
18 Raghunandan Swarup Pathak 21 December 1986 18 June 1989‡ 2 years, 209 days
19 Engalaguppe Seetharamiah Venkataramiah 19 June 1989 17 December 1989 181 days
20 Sabyasachi Mukharji 18 December 1989 25 September 1990† 281 days
21 Ranganath Misra 26 September 1990 24 November 1991 1 year, 59 days
22 Kamal Narain Singh 25 November 1991 12 December 1991 17 days
23 Madhukar Hiralal Kania 13 December 1991 17 November 1992 340 days
24 Lalit Mohan Sharma 18 November 1992 11 February 1993 85 days
25 Manepalli Narayanarao Venkatachaliah 12 February 1993 24 October 1994 1 year, 254 days
26 Aziz Mushabber Ahmadi 25 October 1994 24 March 1997 2 years, 150 days
27 Jagdish Sharan Verma 25 March 1997 17 January 1998 298 days
28 Madan Mohan Punchhi 18 January 1998 9 October 1998 264 days
29 Adarsh Sein Anand 10 October 1998 31 October 2001 3 years, 21 days
30 Sam Piroj Bharucha 1 November 2001 5 May 2002 185 days
31 Bhupinder Nath Kirpal 6 May 2002 7 November 2002 185 days
32 Gopal Ballav Pattanaik 8 November 2002 18 December 2002 40 days
33 Vishweshwar Nath Khare 19 December 2002 1 May 2004 1 year, 134 days
34 S. Rajendra Babu 2 May 2004 31 May 2004 29 days
35 Ramesh Chandra Lahoti 1 June 2004 31 October 2005 1 year, 152 days
36 Yogesh Kumar Sabharwal 1 November 2005 13 January 2007 1 year, 73 days
37 Konakuppakatil Gopinathan Balakrishnan 14 January 2007 11 May 2010 3 years, 117 days
38 Sarosh Homi Kapadia 12 May 2010 28 September 2012 2 years, 139 days
39 Altamas Kabir 12 May 2010 29 September 2012 292 days
40 Palanisamy Sathasivam 19 July 2013 26 April 2014 281 days
41 Rajendra Mal Lodha 27 April 2014 27 September 2014 153 days
42 Handyala Lakshminarayanaswamy Dattu 28 September 2014 2 December 2015 1 year, 65 days
43 Tirath Singh Thakur 3 December 2015 3 January 2017 1 year, 31 days
44 Jagdish Singh Khehar 4 January 2017 27 August 2017 235 days
45 Dipak Misra 28 August 2017 2 October 2018 1 year, 35 days
46 Ranjan Gogoi 3 October 2018 17 November 2019 1 year, 45 days
47 Sharad Arvind Bobde 18 November 2019 23 April 2021 1 year, 156 days
48 Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana 24 April 2021 26 August 2022 1 year, 124 days
49 Uday Umesh Lalit 27 August 2022 8 November 2022 73 days
50 Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud 9 November 2022 10 November 2024 2 years, 1 day
51 Sanjiv Khanna 11 November 2024 Incumbent Ongoing

The Chief Justice of India plays a critical role in shaping the country’s judicial landscape. The CJI’s responsibilities, the appointment process, and removal criteria highlight the constitutional safeguards designed to maintain the independence and integrity of the judiciary in India.

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Chief Justice of India FAQs

Candidates must be Indian citizens with at least five years as a High Court judge or ten years of High Court advocacy experience.

The CJI heads the Supreme Court, allocates cases, forms benches, and oversees judicial administration.

The 50th Chief Justice of India was Chandrachud. Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud (born 11 November 1959).

The Supreme Court has a sanctioned strength of 34 judges.

The new 51st CJI of India is Justice Sanjiv Khanna.
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