Chief Justices of India: Complete List, Appointment Dates and Tenure
Updated: 1 September 2026
This chronological list covers the Chief Justices of India from the establishment of the Supreme Court on 26 January 1950 to the present, with their dates of service as Chief Justice and notable tenure information.
Current Chief Justice of India: Justice Surya Kant
Justice Surya Kant was sworn in as the Chief Justice of India on 24 November 2025. The Supreme Court states that he is due to retire on 9 February 2027.
List of Chief Justices of India from 1950 to 2026
The dates below refer to service as Chief Justice of India. The current CJI's end date is the scheduled retirement date stated by the Supreme Court.
| No. | Chief Justice of India | From | To | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harilal Jekisundas Kania | Died in office | ||
| 2 | M. Patanjali Sastri | - | ||
| 3 | Mehr Chand Mahajan | - | ||
| 4 | Bijan Kumar Mukherjea | Resigned | ||
| 5 | Sudhi Ranjan Das | - | ||
| 6 | Bhuvneshwar Prasad Sinha | - | ||
| 7 | P. B. Gajendragadkar | - | ||
| 8 | A. K. Sarkar | - | ||
| 9 | Koka Subba Rao | Resigned | ||
| 10 | Kailas Nath Wanchoo | - | ||
| 11 | Mohammad Hidayatullah | - | ||
| 12 | Jayantilal Chhotalal Shah | - | ||
| 13 | Sarv Mittra Sikri | - | ||
| 14 | Ajit Nath Ray | - | ||
| 15 | Mirza Hameedullah Beg | - | ||
| 16 | Yeshwant Vishnu Chandrachud | Longest-serving CJI | ||
| 17 | Prafullachandra Natwarlal Bhagwati | - | ||
| 18 | Raghunandan Swarup Pathak | Resigned | ||
| 19 | E. S. Venkataramiah | - | ||
| 20 | Sabyasachi Mukharji | Died in office | ||
| 21 | Ranganath Misra | - | ||
| 22 | Kamal Narain Singh | Shortest-serving CJI | ||
| 23 | Madhukar Hiralal Kania | - | ||
| 24 | Lalit Mohan Sharma | - | ||
| 25 | M. N. Venkatachaliah | - | ||
| 26 | A. M. Ahmadi | - | ||
| 27 | J. S. Verma | - | ||
| 28 | M. M. Punchhi | - | ||
| 29 | Adarsh Sein Anand | - | ||
| 30 | S. P. Bharucha | - | ||
| 31 | B. N. Kirpal | - | ||
| 32 | G. B. Pattanaik | - | ||
| 33 | V. N. Khare | - | ||
| 34 | S. Rajendra Babu | - | ||
| 35 | R. C. Lahoti | - | ||
| 36 | Y. K. Sabharwal | - | ||
| 37 | K. G. Balakrishnan | - | ||
| 38 | S. H. Kapadia | - | ||
| 39 | Altamas Kabir | - | ||
| 40 | P. Sathasivam | - | ||
| 41 | R. M. Lodha | - | ||
| 42 | H. L. Dattu | - | ||
| 43 | T. S. Thakur | - | ||
| 44 | J. S. Khehar | First Sikh CJI | ||
| 45 | Dipak Misra | - | ||
| 46 | Ranjan Gogoi | - | ||
| 47 | Sharad Arvind Bobde | - | ||
| 48 | N. V. Ramana | - | ||
| 49 | Uday Umesh Lalit | - | ||
| 50 | D. Y. Chandrachud | - | ||
| 51 | Sanjiv Khanna | - | ||
| 52 | Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai | - | ||
| 53 | Surya Kant | Current CJI; scheduled retirement |
How is the Chief Justice of India appointed?
The Chief Justice of India is appointed by the President of India under Article 124 of the Constitution. The office is held by a Judge of the Supreme Court, and the retirement age for Supreme Court judges is 65 years.
Important facts about Chief Justices of India
Justice H. J. Kania became the first Chief Justice of India when the Supreme Court came into existence on 26 January 1950. Justice Y. V. Chandrachud served from 22 February 1978 to 11 July 1985 and remains the longest-serving Chief Justice of India. Justice K. N. Singh served from 25 November 1991 to 12 December 1991, the shortest completed tenure in the office.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the Chief Justice of India as of September 2026?
Justice Surya Kant is the current Chief Justice of India. He took oath as CJI on 24 November 2025 and is due to retire on 9 February 2027.
Who was the first Chief Justice of India?
Justice Harilal Jekisundas Kania was the first Chief Justice of India. His tenure began on 26 January 1950 and ended on 6 November 1951 when he died in office.
What is the retirement age of the Chief Justice of India?
The Chief Justice of India, like other Judges of the Supreme Court, holds office until attaining the age of 65 years, subject to the constitutional provisions relating to resignation and removal.
Who was the longest-serving Chief Justice of India?
Justice Yeshwant Vishnu Chandrachud served as Chief Justice of India from 22 February 1978 to 11 July 1985, making his tenure the longest in the office.
Official references
Supreme Court of India - Chief Justice & Judges
Supreme Court of India - Former Chief Justices
Supreme Court of India - Justice Surya Kant profile
Legislative Department - Constitution of India
Dates and current-office information have been updated using official Supreme Court of India records. Historical names are presented in a concise form commonly used in judicial references. This page is intended for legal general knowledge and reference.