List of Chief Justices of India (1950-2023)

The tenure of several Chief Justices of India could be a key component that would be asked in the examinations. Thus, we have made a list of all the Chief Justices with the table mentioned below. Here is the list of all 43 Chief Justices of India with their respective tenure:

Who is the Current Chief Justice of India?

The current Chief Justice of India is Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud. He has been appointed as the new Chief Justice of India on 9th November 2022. He is the 50th CJI and has taken over the post from Justice U. U Lalit who served a brief term as India’s 49th Chief Justice.

Significance of the Chief Justice of India Office

The Chief Justice of India is responsible for the allocation of cases and appointment of constitutional benches which deal with important matters of law. Article 145 of the Constitution gives the right to the Chief Justice of India to allocate the respective matters of relevance to the bench of judges.

Appointment of the Chief Justice of India

The Chief Justice of India is appointed by the President of India after consulting with other judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts. The appointment is based on seniority and experience, and the Chief Justice of India holds office until they reach the age of 65 years or retire voluntarily.

Role and Powers of the Chief Justice of India

The Chief Justice of India has several roles and powers that are crucial for the functioning of the Indian judiciary. They are responsible for:

• Presiding over the Supreme Court of India

• Appointing judges to the Supreme Court and High Courts

• Allocating cases to different benches in the Supreme Court

• Administering oaths of office to judges and other constitutional functionaries

• Maintaining the independence of the judiciary

The Chief Justice of India also has the power to issue writs, hear and decide cases, and review the decisions of other courts in India.

Notable Chief Justices of India

Some of the notable Chief Justices of India who have made significant contributions to the Indian judiciary include:

• Justice H. J. Kania, the first Chief Justice of India (1950–1951)
• Justice P. N. Bhagwati, who introduced the concept of Public Interest Litigation
• Justice J. S. Verma, who contributed to the development of human rights jurisprudence in India
• Justice R. M. Lodha, who played a key role in cleaning up the Indian cricket administration

Key Contributions of Chief Justices of India to Indian Judiciary

The Chief Justices of India have made several key contributions to the development of the Indian judiciary, including:

• Introducing the concept of PIL (Public Interest Litigation)
• Developing human rights jurisprudence in India
• Promoting judicial activism and accountability
• Protecting the rights of marginalized communities and promoting social justice