# List 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. 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.

## List of chief justices

Chief Justice of India :
| Name of the Chief Justice (S/Shri Justice) | Image | Court | Date of Appointment as Chief Justice | Date of Retirement | Tenure | Nominated By | Appointed By | Date of elevation to Supreme Court | Date of Initial Appointment as Judge | Parent High Court |
| Sanjiv Khanna (list) | | Supreme Court of India | 11 November 2024 (126 days) | 13 May 2025 (−57 days) | 184 days | Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud | Droupadi Murmu | 18 January 2019 (6 years, 58 days) | 24 June 2005 (19 years, 266 days) | Delhi |
Chief Justices of High Courts :
| Name of the Chief Justice (S/Shri Justice) | High Court and It's Jurisdiction | Date of Appointment as Chief Justice | Date of Appointment as CJ in Present HC | Date of Retirement | Tenure as Chief Justice | Nominated By | Appointed By | Parent High Court | Date of Initial Appointment as Judge | All India seniority rank of CJ | Remarks |
| Arun Bhansali (list) | Allahabad HC (Uttar Pradesh) | 5 February 2024 (1 year, 40 days) | 5 February 2024 (1 year, 40 days) | 14 October 2029 (−4 years, 211 days) | 5 years, 252 days | Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud | Droupadi Murmu | Rajasthan | 8 January 2013 (12 years, 68 days) | 20 Since 17 March 2025 | |
| Dhiraj Singh Thakur (list) | Andhra Pradesh HC (Andhra Pradesh) | 28 July 2023 (1 year, 232 days) | 28 July 2023 (1 year, 232 days) | 24 April 2026 (−1 year, 38 days) | 2 years, 271 days | Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud | Droupadi Murmu | Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh | 8 March 2013 (12 years, 9 days) | 22 Since 17 March 2025 | |
| Alok Aradhe (list) | Bombay HC (Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Goa, Maharashtra) | 23 July 2023 (1 year, 237 days) | 21 January 2025 (55 days) | 12 April 2026 (−1 year, 26 days) | 2 years, 264 days Tenure in Present HC 1 year, 82 days | Sanjiv Khanna | Droupadi Murmu | Madhya Pradesh | 29 December 2009 (15 years, 78 days) | 6 Since 5 December 2024 | 6th CJ of Telangana From 23 July 2023 - 20 January 2025 (1 year, 182 days) |
| T. S. Sivagnanam (list) | Calcutta HC (Andaman & Nicobar Islands, West Bengal) | 11 May 2023 (1 year, 310 days) | 11 May 2023 (1 year, 310 days) | 15 September 2025 (−182 days) | 2 years, 128 days | Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud | Droupadi Murmu | Madras | 31 March 2009 (15 years, 351 days) | 3 Since 5 December 2024 | |
| Ramesh Sinha (list) | Chhattisgarh HC (Chhattisgarh) | 29 March 2023 (1 year, 353 days) | 29 March 2023 (1 year, 353 days) | 4 September 2026 (−1 year, 171 days) | 3 years, 160 days | Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud | Droupadi Murmu | Allahabad | 21 November 2011 (13 years, 116 days) | 12 Since 17 March 2025 | |
| Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya (list) | Delhi HC (Delhi) | 29 July 2023 (1 year, 231 days) | 21 January 2025 (55 days) | 15 June 2027 (−2 years, 90 days) | 3 years, 322 days Tenure in Present HC 2 years, 146 days | Sanjiv Khanna | Droupadi Murmu | Allahabad | 21 November 2011 (13 years, 116 days) | 14 Since 17 March 2025 | 47th of CJ of Bombay From 29 July 2023 - 20 January 2025 (1 year, 176 days) |
| Vijay Bishnoi (list) | Gauhati HC (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Mizoram, Nagaland) | 5 February 2024 (1 year, 40 days) | 5 February 2024 (1 year, 40 days) | 25 March 2026 (−1 year, 8 days) | 2 years, 49 days | Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud | Droupadi Murmu | Rajasthan | 8 January 2013 (12 years, 68 days) | 19 Since 17 March 2025 | |
| Sunita Agarwal (list) | Gujarat HC (Gujarat) | 23 July 2023 (1 year, 237 days) | 23 July 2023 (1 year, 237 days) | 29 April 2028 (−3 years, 43 days) | 4 years, 282 days | Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud | Droupadi Murmu | Allahabad | 21 November 2011 (13 years, 116 days) | 13 Since 17 March 2025 | |
| Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia (list) | Himachal Pradesh HC (Himachal Pradesh) | 29 December 2024 (78 days) | 29 December 2024 (78 days) | 31 October 2027 (−2 years, 228 days) | 2 years, 307 days | Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud | Droupadi Murmu | Punjab and Haryana | 30 September 2011 (13 years, 168 days) | 11 Since 17 March 2025 | |
| Tashi Rabstan | Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh HC (Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh) | 27 September 2024 (171 days) | 27 September 2024 (171 days) | 9 April 2025 (−23 days) | 195 days | Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud | Droupadi Murmu | Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh | 8 March 2013 (12 years, 9 days) | 23 Since 17 March 2025 | |
| Mamidanna Satyaratna Ramachandra Rao | Jharkhand HC (Jharkhand) | 30 May 2023 (1 year, 291 days) | 25 September 2024 (173 days) | 6 August 2028 (−3 years, 142 days) | 5 years, 69 days Tenure in Present HC 3 years, 317 days | Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud | Droupadi Murmu | Telangana | 29 June 2012 (12 years, 261 days) | 18 Since 17 March 2025 | 28th CJ of Himachal Pradesh From 30 May 2023 - 24 September 2024 (1 year, 118 days) |
| Nilay Vipinchandra Anjaria | Karnataka HC (Karnataka) | 25 February 2024 (1 year, 20 days) | 25 February 2024 (1 year, 20 days) | 22 March 2027 (−2 years, 5 days) | 3 years, 26 days | Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud | Droupadi Murmu | Gujarat | 21 November 2011 (13 years, 116 days) | 15 Since 17 March 2025 | |
| Nitin Madhukar Jamdar | Kerala HC (Kerala, Lakshadweep) | 26 September 2024 (172 days) | 26 September 2024 (172 days) | 9 January 2026 (−298 days) | 1 year, 106 days | Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud | Droupadi Murmu | Bombay | 23 January 2012 (13 years, 53 days) | 16 Since 17 March 2025 | |
| Suresh Kumar Kait | Madhya Pradesh HC (Madhya Pradesh) | 25 September 2024 (173 days) | 25 September 2024 (173 days) | 23 May 2025 (−67 days) | 241 days | Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud | Droupadi Murmu | Delhi | 5 September 2008 (16 years, 193 days) | 2 Since 5 December 2024 | |
| Kalpathi Rajendran Shriram | Madras HC (Puducherry, Tamil Nadu) | 27 September 2024 (171 days) | 27 September 2024 (171 days) | 27 September 2025 (−194 days) | 1 year, 1 day | Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud | Droupadi Murmu | Bombay | 21 June 2013 (11 years, 269 days) | 31 Since 17 March 2025 | |
| D. Krishnakumar | Manipur HC (Manipur) | 22 November 2024 (115 days) | 22 November 2024 (115 days) | 21 May 2025 (−65 days) | 181 days | Sanjiv Khanna | Droupadi Murmu | Madras | 7 April 2016 (8 years, 344 days) | 86 Since 17 March 2025 | |
| Indra Prasanna Mukerji | Meghalaya HC (Meghalaya) | 3 October 2024 (165 days) | 3 October 2024 (165 days) | 5 September 2025 (−172 days) | 338 days | Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud | Droupadi Murmu | Calcutta | 18 May 2009 (15 years, 303 days) | 4 Since 5 December 2024 | |
| Arindam Sinha $^†$ | Orissa HC (Odisha) | Acting Since 20 January 2025 (56 days) | Acting Since 20 January 2025 (56 days) | 21 September 2027 (−2 years, 188 days) | 2 years, 245 days | -- | Droupadi Murmu | Calcutta | 30 October 2013 (11 years, 138 days) | 40 Since 17 March 2025 | |
| Ashutosh Kumar $^†$ (list) | Patna High Court (Bihar) | Acting Since 16 January 2025 (60 days) | Acting Since 16 January 2025 (60 days) | 30 September 2028 (−3 years, 197 days) | 3 years, 259 days | -- | Droupadi Murmu | Patna | 15 May 2014 (10 years, 306 days) | 58 Since 17 March 2025 | |
| Sheel Nagu | Punjab and Haryana HC (Chandigarh, Haryana, Punjab) | 9 July 2024 (251 days) | 9 July 2024 (251 days) | 31 December 2026 (−1 year, 289 days) | 2 years, 176 days | Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud | Droupadi Murmu | Madhya Pradesh | 27 May 2011 (13 years, 294 days) | 9 Since 5 December 2024 | |
| Manindra Mohan Shrivastava (list) | Rajasthan HC (Rajasthan) | 6 February 2024 (1 year, 39 days) | 6 February 2024 (1 year, 39 days) | 5 March 2026 (−353 days) | 2 years, 28 days | Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud | Droupadi Murmu | Chhattisgarh | 10 December 2009 (15 years, 97 days) | 5 Since 5 December 2024 | |
| Biswanath Somadder | Sikkim HC (Sikkim) | 27 April 2020 (4 years, 324 days) | 12 October 2021 (3 years, 156 days) | 14 December 2025 (−272 days) | 5 years, 232 days Tenure in Present HC 4 years, 64 days | Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana | Ram Nath Kovind | Calcutta | 22 June 2006 (18 years, 268 days) | 1 Since 27 October 2023 | 9th CJ of Meghalaya From 27 April 2020 - 11 October 2021 (1 year, 168 days) |
| Sujoy Paul $^†$ | Telangana HC (Telangana) | Acting Since 21 January 2025 (55 days) | Acting Since 21 January 2025 (55 days) | 20 June 2026 (−1 year, 95 days) | 1 year, 151 days | -- | Droupadi Murmu | Madhya Pradesh | 27 May 2011 (13 years, 294 days) | 10 Since 5 December 2024 | |
| Aparesh Kumar Singh | Tripura HC (Tripura) | 17 April 2023 (1 year, 334 days) | 17 April 2023 (1 year, 334 days) | 6 July 2027 (−2 years, 111 days) | 4 years, 81 days | Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud | Droupadi Murmu | Jharkhand | 24 January 2012 (13 years, 52 days) | 17 Since 17 March 2025 | |
| Guhanathan Narendar (list) | Uttarakhand HC (Uttarakhand) | 26 December 2024 (81 days) | 26 December 2024 (81 days) | 9 January 2026 (−298 days) | 1 year, 15 days | Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud | Droupadi Murmu | Karnataka | 2 January 2015 (10 years, 74 days) | 68 Since 17 March 2025 | |
$^†$ - 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)
5 December 2024 - Elevation of Manmohan (CJ of Delhi) to Supreme Court on 5 December 2024 (S.R. 2)
17 March 2025 - Elevation of Joymalya Bagchi (Judge of Calcutta) to Supreme Court on 17 March 2025 (S.R. 11)