List of current Indian chief justices

Overview of current Indian chief justices

The Indian judiciary consists of the Supreme Court of India, which is the highest court in the country and the constituent courts. The Supreme Court serves as the final court of appeal for all civil and criminal cases in India and consists of 33 judges headed by the Chief Justice of India.[1] The High Courts are the top judicial bodies in individual states, controlled and managed by Chief Justices of the respective courts. There are 25 High Courts in the country with seven of them having multiple jurisdictions. The High Courts manage a system of sub-ordinate courts headed by the various District and Session Courts in their respective jurisdictions. As per the Constitution of India, the Chief Justice, the other judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts are appointed by the President of India.[2]

## List of chief justices

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Chief Justice of India[3] Name of the Chief Justice  | Image  | Date of Appointment as Chief Justice  | Date of Retirement  | Tenure  | Nominated By  | Appointed By  | Date of elevation to Supreme Court  | Seniority rank on the date of elevation  | Date of Initial Appointment as Judge  | Parent High Court

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Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai
(list) |  | 14 May 2025
(71 days) | 23 November 2025
(−122 days) | 194 days  | Sanjiv Khanna | Droupadi Murmu | 24 May 2019
(6 years, 61 days) | 8  | 14 November 2003
(21 years, 252 days) | Bombay
Chief Justices of High Courts[4] High Court  | Name of the Chief Justice  | Date of Appointment as Chief Justice  | Date of Retirement  | Tenure  | Nominated as Chief Justice by  | Appointed By  | Parent High Court  | All India seniority rank  | Date of Initial Appointment as Judge  | Nominated as Judge of by  | Remarks

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Allahabad High Court | Arun Bhansali
(list) | 5 February 2024
(1 year, 169 days) | 14 October 2029
(−4 years, 82 days) | 5 years, 252 days  | D. Y. Chandrachud | Droupadi Murmu | Rajasthan | 17
Since
30 May 2025 | 8 January 2013
(12 years, 197 days)  | Altamas Kabir |
Andhra Pradesh High Court | Dhiraj Singh Thakur
(list) | 28 July 2023
(1 year, 361 days) | 24 April 2026
(−274 days) | 2 years, 271 days  | Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh | 19
Since
30 May 2025 | 8 March 2013
(12 years, 138 days)  |
Bombay High Court | Alok Aradhe
(list) | 23 July 2023
(2 years, 1 day)
Date of appointment in current HC
21 January 2025
(184 days) | 12 April 2026
(−262 days) | 2 years, 264 days
Tenure in current HC
1 year, 82 days  | D. Y. Chandrachud
Nominated in current HC
Sanjiv Khanna | Madhya Pradesh | 5
Since
24 May 2025 | 29 December 2009
(15 years, 207 days)  | K. G. Balakrishnan | 6th CJ of Telangana
From 23 July 2023 – 20 January 2025
(1 year, 182 days)
Calcutta High Court | Tirunelveli Subbiah Sivagnanam
(list) | 11 May 2023
(2 years, 74 days) | 15 September 2025
(−53 days) | 2 years, 128 days  | D. Y. Chandrachud | Madras | 2
Since
24 May 2025 | 31 March 2009
(16 years, 115 days)  |
Chhattisgarh High Court | Ramesh Sinha
(list) | 29 March 2023
(2 years, 117 days) | 4 September 2026
(−1 year, 42 days) | 3 years, 160 days  | Allahabad | 11
Since
24 May 2025 | 21 November 2011
(13 years, 245 days)  | S. H. Kapadia |
Delhi High Court | Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya
(list) | 29 July 2023
(1 year, 360 days)
Date of appointment in current HC
21 January 2025
(184 days) | 15 June 2027
(−1 year, 326 days) | 3 years, 322 days
Tenure in current HC
2 years, 146 days  | D. Y. Chandrachud
Nominated in current HC
Sanjiv Khanna | Allahabad | 13
Since
24 May 2025 | 21 November 2011
(13 years, 245 days)  | 47th CJ of Bombay
From 29 July 2023 – 20 January 2025
(1 year, 176 days)
Gauhati High Court | Ashutosh Kumar
(list) | 21 July 2025
(3 days) | 30 September 2028
(−3 years, 68 days) | 3 years, 72 days  | B. R. Gavai | Patna | 51
Since
30 May 2025 | 15 May 2014
(11 years, 70 days)  | R. M. Lodha |
Gujarat High Court | Sunita Agarwal
(list) | 23 July 2023
(2 years, 1 day) | 29 April 2028
(−2 years, 280 days) | 4 years, 282 days  | D. Y. Chandrachud | Allahabad | 12
Since
24 May 2025 | 21 November 2011
(13 years, 245 days)  | S. H. Kapadia |
Himachal Pradesh High Court | Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia
(list) | 29 December 2024
(207 days) | 31 October 2027
(−2 years, 99 days) | 2 years, 307 days  | Punjab and Haryana | 10
Since
24 May 2025 | 30 September 2011
(13 years, 297 days)  |
Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court | Arun Palli
(list) | 16 April 2025
(99 days) | 17 September 2026
(−1 year, 55 days) | 1 year, 155 days  | Sanjiv Khanna | Punjab and Haryana | 37
Since
30 May 2025 | 28 December 2013
(11 years, 208 days)  | P. Sathasivam |
Jharkhand High Court | Tarlok Singh Chauhan
(list) | 23 July 2025
(1 day) | 8 January 2026
(−168 days) | 170 days  | B. R. Gavai | Himachal Pradesh | 49
Since
30 May 2025 | 23 February 2014
(11 years, 151 days)  |
Karnataka High Court | Vibhu Bakhru
(list) | 19 July 2025
(5 days) | 1 November 2028
(−3 years, 100 days) | 3 years, 106 days  | Delhi | 22
Since
30 May 2025 | 17 April 2013
(12 years, 98 days)  | Altamas Kabir |
Kerala High Court | Nitin Madhukar Jamdar
(list) | 26 September 2024
(301 days) | 9 January 2026
(−169 days) | 1 year, 106 days  | D. Y. Chandrachud | Bombay | 14
Since
30 May 2025 | 23 January 2012
(13 years, 182 days)  | S. H. Kapadia |
Madhya Pradesh High Court | Sanjeev Sachdeva
(list) | 17 July 2025
(7 days) | 25 December 2026
(−1 year, 154 days) | 1 year, 162 days  | B. R. Gavai | Delhi | 21
Since
30 May 2025 | 17 April 2013
(12 years, 98 days)  | Altamas Kabir |
Madras High Court | Manindra Mohan Shrivastava
(list) | 6 February 2024
(1 year, 168 days)
Date of appointment in current HC
21 July 2025
(3 days) | 5 March 2026
(−224 days) | 2 years, 28 days
Tenure in current HC
228 days  | D. Y. Chandrachud
Nominated in current HC
B. R. Gavai | Chhattisgarh | 4
Since
24 May 2025 | 10 December 2009
(15 years, 226 days)  | K. G. Balakrishnan | 42nd CJ of Rajasthan
From 6 February 2024 – 20 July 2025
(1 year, 165 days)
Manipur High Court | Kempaiah Somashekar
(list) | 22 May 2025
(63 days) | 14 September 2025
(−52 days) | 116 days  | B. R. Gavai | Karnataka | 97
Since
25 July 2025 | 14 November 2016
(8 years, 252 days)  | T. S. Thakur |
Meghalaya High Court | Indra Prasanna Mukerji
(list) | 3 October 2024
(294 days) | 5 September 2025
(−43 days) | 338 days  | D. Y. Chandrachud | Calcutta | 3
Since
24 May 2025 | 18 May 2009
(16 years, 67 days)  | K. G. Balakrishnan |
Orissa High Court | Harish Tandon
(list) | 26 March 2025
(120 days) | 15 November 2026
(−1 year, 114 days) | 1 year, 235 days  | Sanjiv Khanna | Calcutta | 6
Since
24 May 2025 | 13 April 2011
(14 years, 102 days)  | S. H. Kapadia |
Patna High Court | Vipul Manubhai Pancholi
(list) | 21 July 2025
(3 days) | 27 May 2030
(−4 years, 307 days) | 4 years, 311 days  | B. R. Gavai | Gujarat | 58
Since
30 June 2025 | 1 October 2014
(10 years, 296 days)  | R. M. Lodha |
Punjab and Haryana High Court | Sheel Nagu
(list) | 9 July 2024
(1 year, 15 days) | 31 December 2026
(−1 year, 160 days) | 2 years, 176 days  | D. Y. Chandrachud | Madhya Pradesh | 8
Since
24 May 2025 | 27 May 2011
(14 years, 58 days)  | S. H. Kapadia |
Rajasthan High Court | Kalpathi Rajendran Shriram
(list) | 27 September 2024
(300 days)
Date of appointment in current HC
21 July 2025
(3 days) | 27 September 2025
(−65 days) | 1 year, 1 day
Tenure in current HC
69 days  | D. Y. Chandrachud
Nominated in current HC
B. R. Gavai | Bombay | 26
Since
30 May 2025 | 21 June 2013
(12 years, 33 days)  | Altamas Kabir | 45th CJ of Madras
From 27 September 2024 – 20 July 2025
(297 days)
Sikkim High Court | Biswanath Somadder
(list) | 27 April 2020
(5 years, 88 days)
Date of appointment in current HC
12 October 2021
(3 years, 285 days) | 14 December 2025
(−143 days) | 5 years, 232 days
Tenure in current HC
4 years, 64 days  | S. A. Bobde
Nominated in current HC
N. V. Ramana | Ram Nath Kovind | Calcutta | 1
Since
27 October 2023 | 22 June 2006
(19 years, 32 days)  | Y. K. Sabharwal | 9th CJ of Meghalaya
From 27 April 2020 – 11 October 2021
(1 year, 168 days)
Telangana High Court | Aparesh Kumar Singh
(list) | 17 April 2023
(2 years, 98 days)
Date of appointment in current HC
19 July 2025
(5 days) | 6 July 2027
(−1 year, 347 days) | 4 years, 81 days
Tenure in current HC
1 year, 353 days  | D. Y. Chandrachud
Nominated in current HC
B. R. Gavai | Droupadi Murmu | Jharkhand | 15
Since
30 May 2025 | 24 January 2012
(13 years, 181 days)  | S. H. Kapadia | 8th CJ of Tripura
From 17 April 2023 – 18 July 2025
(2 years, 93 days)
Tripura High Court | Mamidanna Satyaratna Ramachandra Rao
(list) | 30 May 2023
(2 years, 55 days)
Date of appointment in current HC
22 July 2025
(2 days) | 6 August 2028
(−3 years, 13 days) | 5 years, 69 days
Tenure in current HC
3 years, 16 days  | D. Y. Chandrachud
Nominated in current HC
B. R. Gavai | Telangana | 16
Since
30 May 2025 | 29 June 2012
(13 years, 25 days)  | 28th CJ of Himachal Pradesh
From 30 May 2023 – 24 September 2024
(1 year, 118 days)

* * *

16th CJ of Jharkhand
From 25 September 2024 – 21 July 2025
(300 days)

Uttarakhand High Court | Guhanathan Narendar
(list) | 26 December 2024
(210 days) | 9 January 2026
(−169 days) | 1 year, 15 days  | D. Y. Chandrachud | Karnataka | 60
Since
30 June 2025 | 2 January 2015
(10 years, 203 days)  | H. L. Dattu |

† \- Acting Chief Justice

Dates of Changes in Seniority Rank (S.R.):

27 October 2023 - Retirement of Vipin Sanghi (CJ of Uttarakhand) on 26 October 2023 (S.R. 1)

24 May 2025 - Retirement of S. K. Kait (CJ of Madhya Pradesh) on 23 May 2025 (S.R. 2)

30 May 2025 - Elevation of N. V. Anjaria (CJ of Karnataka) to Supreme Court on 30 May 2025 (S.R. 14)

30 June 2025 - Retirement of P. B. Suresh Kumar (Judge of Kerala) on 29 June 2025 (S.R. 52)

25 July 2025 - Retirement of R. Subramanian (Judge of Madras) on 24 July 2025 (S.R. 84)

## See also

[edit]

* List of current Indian governors
* List of current Indian lieutenant governors and administrators
* List of current Indian chief ministers
* List of current Indian deputy chief ministers
* List of current Indian legislative speakers and chairpersons
* List of current Indian opposition leaders
* List of female chief justices in India
* List of sitting judges of the Supreme Court of India
* List of former judges of the Supreme Court of India
* List of female judges of the Supreme Court of India
* List of sitting judges of the high courts of India
* List of former chief justices of the high courts of India

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Rule of law index 2016". Justice Project. Archived from the original on 29 April 2015. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
2. ^ "Memorandum of procedure of appointment of Supreme Court Judges". Government of India. Archived from the original on 9 March 2024. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
3. ^ ANI (14 May 2025). "Justice BR Gavai sworn in as 52nd Chief Justice of India". ThePrint. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
4. ^ List of Chief Justice of the High Court (PDF). Government of India (Report). Retrieved 21 November 2016.

* v
* t
* e

Current Indian chief justices

Chief Justice of India: Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud

| Allahabad|

Arun Bhansali

|

Andhra
Pradesh|

Dhiraj Thakur

Bombay|

Devendra Upadhyaya

Calcutta|

T. S. Sivagnanam

Chhattisgarh|

Ramesh Sinha

Delhi|

Manmohan†

Gauhati|

Vijay Bishnoi

Gujarat|

Sunita Agarwal

Himachal
Pradesh|

Rajiv Shakdher

| Jammu and Kashmir
and Ladakh|

Tashi Rabstan

|

Jharkhand|

M. S. Ramachandra Rao

Karnataka|

N. V. Anjaria

Kerala|

Nitin Jamdar

Madhya
Pradesh|

Suresh Kait

Madras|

K. R. Shriram

Manipur|

Siddharth Mridul

Meghalaya|

Hamarsan Thangkhiew†

| Orissa|

Chakradhari Singh

|

Patna|

K. Vinod Chandran

Punjab and
Haryana|

Sheel Nagu

Rajasthan|

M. M. Shrivastava

Sikkim|

Biswanath Somadder

Telangana|

Alok Aradhe

Tripura|

Aparesh Singh

Uttarakhand|

Guhanathan Narendar

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