Indian Polity Quiz: List of Chief Justices of India

When the Federal Court of India became the Supreme Court of India on 26 January 1950, Justice H. J. Kania, who had been Chief Justice of the Federal Court, became the first Chief Justice of India.

Article 124 establishes the Supreme Court of India and lays down that every judge of the Court, including the Chief Justice of India, is appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal; Article 124(2) fixes the retirement age at sixty-five years and Article 124(4) prescribes the procedure…

Justice Mohammad Hidayatullah, who was Chief Justice of India from 1968 to 1970, officiated as President of India from 20 July to 24 August 1969, in the gap between the death of President Zakir Husain and the election of V. V. Giri.

Justice Yeshwant Vishnu Chandrachud was Chief Justice of India from 22 February 1978 to 11 July 1985, a tenure of about seven years and four months, by far the longest any holder of the office has had.

Justice Kamal Narain Singh was Chief Justice of India for only seventeen days, from 25 November to 12 December 1991, the shortest tenure in the history of the office.

Article 60 lays down the form of oath for the President and provides that it is made in the presence of the Chief Justice of India, or in his absence the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court available.

Article 124(2) provides that a judge of the Supreme Court holds office until he attains the age of sixty-five years, and the Chief Justice of India is a judge of that Court, so the same limit applies to him.

Article 126 provides that when the office of Chief Justice of India is vacant, or when the Chief Justice is by reason of absence or otherwise unable to perform the duties of the office, the duties shall be performed by such one of the other judges of the Court as…

Justice Y. V. Chandrachud was Chief Justice of India from 1978 to 1985 and his son, Justice D. Y. Chandrachud, became the fiftieth Chief Justice of India in November 2022, the only instance of a father and a son both holding the office.

According to the Supreme Court of India, Justice Surya Kant was elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court on 24 May 2019 and was sworn in as the fifty-third Chief Justice of India on 24 November 2025, with retirement due on 9 February 2027.