🇮🇳 Chief Justice of India – Full Detailed Description
🏛️ Introduction
The Chief Justice of India (CJI) is the head of the judiciary system of India and the Supreme Court of India, which is the highest judicial authority in the country.
The CJI is responsible for upholding the Constitution, ensuring justice delivery, and maintaining the independence of the judiciary.
⚖️ Constitutional Basis
Mentioned under Article 124 of the Indian Constitution.
The article provides for the establishment of the Supreme Court, its composition, and appointment of judges, including the Chief Justice of India.
👤 Appointment Process
1. The President of India appoints the Chief Justice of India.
2. By convention, the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court is appointed as the next CJI.
3. The outgoing CJI recommends the name of his successor to the President.
4. The Prime Minister advises the President based on this recommendation.
📜 Oath of Office
Before entering office, the Chief Justice takes an oath administered by the President of India, swearing to:
Bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India,
Uphold the sovereignty and integrity of India,
Perform duties without fear or favor.
🎓 Eligibility Criteria
To become the Chief Justice of India, a person must:
1. Be a citizen of India.
2. Have been a judge of a High Court for at least 5 years, or
3. Have been an advocate of a High Court for at least 10 years, or
4. Be, in the President’s opinion, a distinguished jurist.
⏳ Tenure
The Chief Justice of India holds office until the age of 65 years.
There is no fixed term; tenure depends on age and date of appointment.
🧾 Removal (Impeachment Process)
The CJI can be removed only through the same process as a Supreme Court Judge:
1. By Parliament, through impeachment, on grounds of proved misbehavior or incapacity.
2. Requires a special majority in both Houses of Parliament.
3. The motion must be supported by at least:
100 MPs in the Lok Sabha, or
50 MPs in the Rajya Sabha.
💰 Salary and Allowances
As of 2025:
Monthly Salary: ₹2,80,000
Other Perks:
Free government residence,
Official car,
Security cover,
Lifetime pension after retirement.
🏛️ Powers and Functions
1️⃣ Judicial Powers
Head of the Supreme Court and final interpreter of the Constitution.
Presides over Constitution Benches in crucial constitutional cases.
Allocates cases to judges and forms benches.
2️⃣ Administrative Powers
Assigns duties to other judges.
Appoints court officers.
Manages the functioning and case listing of the Supreme Court.
3️⃣ Advisory Role
Advises the President on matters related to the judiciary.
Part of judicial appointments and transfers through the Collegium System.
4️⃣ Other Roles
Administers the oath to the President of India when required.
Member of various high-level committees, including:
Lokpal Selection Committee
National Judicial Academy
Judicial Appointments Committee
⚙️ Collegium System
Introduced through Judges Cases (1981–1998).
The CJI and four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court form the Collegium, which recommends:
Appointments of Supreme Court and High Court judges,
Transfers of judges.
📈 Important Contributions by CJIs
Chief Justice Contribution / Landmark Decision
H.J. Kania First CJI (1950)
S.M. Sikri Kesavananda Bharati Case (Basic Structure Doctrine)
A.N. Ray ADM Jabalpur Case (Emergency Period)
P.N. Bhagwati Introduced Public Interest Litigation (PIL)
Y.V. Chandrachud Longest-serving CJI
J.S. Verma Vishaka Guidelines on sexual harassment
K.G. Balakrishnan First Dalit CJI
Ranjan Gogoi Ayodhya Verdict (2019)
D.Y. Chandrachud Digitalization of courts, live streaming, privacy verdict
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🧑⚖️ List of Chief Justices of India (1950–2025)
No. Chief Justice Tenure
1 H.J. Kania 1950–1951
2 M. Patanjali Sastri 1951–1954
3 Mehr Chand Mahajan 1954
4 B.K. Mukherjea 1954–1956
5 S.R. Das 1956–1959
6 B.P. Sinha 1959–1964
7 P.B. Gajendragadkar 1964–1966
8 A.K. Sarkar 1966
9 K. Subba Rao 1966–1967
10 K.N. Wanchoo 1967–1968
11 M. Hidayatullah 1968–1970
12 J.C. Shah 1970–1971
13 S.M. Sikri 1971–1973
14 A.N. Ray 1973–1977
15 M.H. Beg 1977–1978
16 Y.V. Chandrachud 1978–1985
17 P.N. Bhagwati 1985–1986
18 R.S. Pathak 1986–1989
19 E.S. Venkataramiah 1989
20 Sabyasachi Mukharji 1989–1990
21 Ranganath Misra 1990–1991
22 K.N. Singh 1991
23 M.H. Kania 1991–1992
24 L.M. Sharma 1992–1993
25 M.N. Venkatachaliah 1993–1994
26 A.M. Ahmadi 1994–1997
27 J.S. Verma 1997–1998
28 M.M. Punchhi 1998
29 A.S. Anand 1998–2001
30 S.P. Bharucha 2001–2002
31 B.N. Kirpal 2002
32 G.B. Pattanaik 2002–2003
33 V.N. Khare 2003–2004
34 S. Rajendra Babu 2004
35 R.C. Lahoti 2004–2005
36 Y.K. Sabharwal 2005–2007
37 K.G. Balakrishnan 2007–2010
38 S.H. Kapadia 2010–2012
39 Altamas Kabir 2012–2013
40 P. Sathasivam 2013–2014
41 R.M. Lodha 2014
42 H.L. Dattu 2014–2015
43 T.S. Thakur 2015–2017
44 J.S. Khehar 2017
45 Dipak Misra 2017–2018
46 Ranjan Gogoi 2018–2019
47 S.A. Bobde 2019–2021
48 N.V. Ramana 2021–2022
49 U.U. Lalit 2022
50 D.Y. Chandrachud 2022–Present (2025)
80 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) with answers on the Chief Justice of India (CJI) — covering history, appointments, powers, and recent updates.
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🧑⚖️ Chief Justice of India — MCQs with Answers
Foundational & Historical MCQs
1. Who was the first Chief Justice of India?
A) M. Patanjali Sastri
B) Harilal J. Kania
C) Mehr Chand Mahajan
D) B.K. Mukherjea
✅ Answer: B) Harilal J. Kania
2. When did Harilal J. Kania become the first Chief Justice of India?
A) 1950
B) 1947
C) 1951
D) 1949
✅ Answer: A) 1950
3. Which article of the Constitution deals with the appointment of the Chief Justice of India?
A) Article 124
B) Article 143
C) Article 126
D) Article 130
✅ Answer: A) Article 124
4. Who appoints the Chief Justice of India?
A) Parliament
B) Prime Minister
C) President of India
D) Supreme Court Collegium
✅ Answer: C) President of India
5. Who was the first woman Chief Justice of India?
A) Leila Seth
B) Indu Malhotra
C) No woman has been CJI yet
D) Ruma Pal
✅ Answer: C) No woman has been CJI yet
6. The Chief Justice of India holds office until the age of —
A) 60 years
B) 62 years
C) 65 years
D) 70 years
✅ Answer: C) 65 years
7. Which CJI introduced the concept of Public Interest Litigation (PIL)?
A) P.N. Bhagwati
B) M.H. Beg
C) Y.V. Chandrachud
D) S.P. Bharucha
✅ Answer: A) P.N. Bhagwati
8. Who was the longest-serving Chief Justice of India?
A) A.M. Ahmadi
B) Y.V. Chandrachud
C) R.C. Lahoti
D) K.G. Balakrishnan
✅ Answer: B) Y.V. Chandrachud
9. Who was the shortest-serving Chief Justice of India?
A) K.N. Singh
B) S.H. Kapadia
C) S.A. Bobde
D) R.C. Lahoti
✅ Answer: A) K.N. Singh
10. Which CJI introduced the Collegium System?
A) J.S. Verma
B) M.N. Venkatachaliah
C) A.M. Ahmadi
D) R.M. Lodha
✅ Answer: A) J.S. Verma
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Recent and Contemporary CJIs
11. Who is the current Chief Justice of India as of October 2025?
✅ Answer: D.Y. Chandrachud
12. Justice D.Y. Chandrachud became CJI in —
A) 2021
B) 2022
C) 2023
D) 2024
✅ Answer: B) 2022
13. Justice D.Y. Chandrachud succeeded —
A) U.U. Lalit
B) N.V. Ramana
C) S.A. Bobde
D) Ranjan Gogoi
✅ Answer: A) U.U. Lalit
14. Justice U.U. Lalit served as CJI for how many days?
A) 74 days
B) 78 days
C) 84 days
D) 90 days
✅ Answer: B) 78 days
15. Who was the first Dalit Chief Justice of India?
A) K.G. Balakrishnan
B) R.M. Lodha
C) M.N. Venkatachaliah
D) S.H. Kapadia
✅ Answer: A) K.G. Balakrishnan
16. Which CJI served immediately after Ranjan Gogoi?
A) S.A. Bobde
✅ Answer: A) S.A. Bobde
17. Justice Ranjan Gogoi was nominated to which body after retirement?
A) Lok Sabha
B) Rajya Sabha
C) NITI Aayog
D) Election Commission
✅ Answer: B) Rajya Sabha
18. Justice N.V. Ramana served as CJI from —
A) 2021 to 2022
✅ Answer: A) 2021 to 2022
19. Justice S.A. Bobde recommended whom as his successor?
A) N.V. Ramana
✅ Answer: A) N.V. Ramana
20. Justice U.U. Lalit was appointed as CJI number —
A) 49
✅ Answer: A) 49
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Roles and Powers of CJI
21. The CJI is the head of which judicial body?
✅ Answer: Supreme Court of India
22. The CJI administers the oath of office to —
✅ Answer: The President of India (when directed)
23. Who presides over the impeachment of the President in Rajya Sabha?
✅ Answer: Chief Justice of India
24. The CJI is part of which high-level committee for Lokpal selection?
✅ Answer: Selection Committee
25. In case of the President’s impeachment, who presides over the proceedings in Rajya Sabha?
✅ Answer: Chief Justice of India
26. Who decides the allocation of cases in the Supreme Court?
✅ Answer: Chief Justice of India
27. The CJI also heads the —
✅ Answer: Supreme Court Collegium
28. Which body recommends the names for appointment of judges to the higher judiciary?
✅ Answer: Collegium System
29. The CJI can be removed by —
✅ Answer: Parliament through impeachment
30. The procedure for removal of CJI is same as —
✅ Answer: President of India
Notable CJIs and Reforms
31. Which CJI gave the verdict in the Kesavananda Bharati case?
✅ Answer: S.M. Sikri
32. Which case introduced the Basic Structure Doctrine?
✅ Answer: Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala
33. Who was the CJI during the Emergency (1975–77)?
✅ Answer: A.N. Ray
34. Which CJI faced controversy for supersession of senior judges?
✅ Answer: A.N. Ray
35. Which CJI led the NJAC judgment restoring the Collegium system?
✅ Answer: J.S. Khehar
36. Which CJI initiated e-Courts Mission Mode Project?
✅ Answer: R.C. Lahoti
37. Which CJI introduced live-streaming of Supreme Court proceedings?
✅ Answer: D.Y. Chandrachud
38. Which CJI delivered the Aadhaar judgment?
✅ Answer: Dipak Misra
39. Which CJI was part of the Sabarimala temple verdict?
✅ Answer: Dipak Misra
40. Who was the first Sikh Chief Justice of India?
✅ Answer: J.S. Khehar
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Miscellaneous Facts
41. The oath of office to the CJI is administered by —
✅ Answer: President of India
42. The seat of the Supreme Court is at —
✅ Answer: New Delhi
43. CJI’s salary is decided by —
✅ Answer: Parliament
44. Which CJI initiated National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG)?
✅ Answer: H.L. Dattu
45. Who was CJI during Ram Janmabhoomi verdict (2019)?
✅ Answer: Ranjan Gogoi
46. Which CJI headed the bench in Right to Privacy verdict (2017)?
✅ Answer: J.S. Khehar
47. Which CJI was known for promoting gender equality in judiciary?
✅ Answer: D.Y. Chandrachud
48. How many judges including CJI are there in the Supreme Court (as of 2025)?
✅ Answer: 34
49. Who appoints acting CJI when CJI is unavailable?
✅ Answer: President of India
50. When was the Supreme Court of India established?
✅ Answer: 28 January 1950
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CJIs and Important Judgments
51. Kesavananda Bharati Case — S.M. Sikri
52. ADM Jabalpur Case — A.N. Ray
53. Vishaka Guidelines — J.S. Verma
54. 2G Spectrum Case — S.H. Kapadia
55. NJAC Case — J.S. Khehar
56. Aadhaar Case — Dipak Misra
57. Sabarimala Case — Dipak Misra
58. Right to Privacy — J.S. Khehar
59. Ayodhya Verdict — Ranjan Gogoi
60. Triple Talaq Verdict — J.S. Khehar
✅ Answers are embedded above
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Appointment and Procedure
61. Recommended by outgoing CJI — True
62. Formally appointed by President — True
63. Tenure till 65 years — True
64. Removable by impeachment — True
65. Must be a citizen of India — True
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CJIs by Numbers
66. 1st CJI — Harilal J. Kania
67. 2nd CJI — M. Patanjali Sastri
68. 3rd CJI — Mehr Chand Mahajan
69. 4th CJI — B.K. Mukherjea
70. 5th CJI — M.C. Mahajan
71. 44th CJI — Ranjan Gogoi
72. 45th CJI — S.A. Bobde
73. 46th CJI — N.V. Ramana
74. 47th CJI — U.U. Lalit
75. 48th CJI — D.Y. Chandrachud
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Judicial System and CJI Role
76. The CJI is the head of Indian Judiciary — True
77. CJI decides benches for constitutional matters — True
78. CJI is ex-officio chairman of National Judicial Academy — True
79. CJI heads the Supreme Court Registry — True
80. CJI plays a role in appointment of High Court Judges — True
