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.[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 last high courts created in India are the High Court of Telangana and the Andhra Pradesh High Court, both established on January 1, 2019, following the bifurcation of the state of Andhra Pradesh.[2] The High Courts of India 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.[3]

Chief Justice of India

Name Surya Kant[4]
(list)
Image
Date of elevation to Supreme Court 24 May 2019
(6 years, 271 days)
Date of Appointment as CJI 24 November 2025
(87 days)
Date of Retirement 9 February 2027
(−355 days)
Tenure 1 year, 78 days
Nominated By B. R. Gavai
Appointed By Droupadi Murmu
Seniority rank on the date of elevation 11
Date of Initial Appointment as Judge 9 January 2004
(22 years, 41 days)
Parent High Court Punjab and Haryana

List of chief justices of High Courts

High Court Image 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
Allahabad High Court Arun Bhansali
(list) 		5 February 2024
(2 years, 14 days) 		14 October 2029
(−3 years, 237 days) 		5 years, 252 days D. Y. Chandrachud Droupadi Murmu Rajasthan 12
Since
10 January 2026 		8 January 2013
(13 years, 42 days) 		Altamas Kabir
Andhra Pradesh High Court Dhiraj Singh Thakur
(list) 		28 July 2023
(2 years, 206 days) 		24 April 2026
(−64 days) 		2 years, 271 days Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh 14
Since
10 January 2026 		8 March 2013
(12 years, 348 days)
Bombay High Court Shree Chandrashekhar
(list) 		5 September 2025
(167 days) 		24 May 2027
(−1 year, 94 days) 		1 year, 262 days B. R. Gavai Jharkhand 13
Since
10 January 2026 		17 January 2013
(13 years, 33 days)
Calcutta High Court Sujoy Paul
(list) 		16 January 2026
(34 days) 		20 June 2026
(−121 days) 		156 days Surya Kant Madhya Pradesh 5
Since
15 December 2025 		27 May 2011
(14 years, 268 days) 		S. H. Kapadia
Chhattisgarh High Court Ramesh Sinha
(list) 		29 March 2023
(2 years, 327 days) 		4 September 2026
(−197 days) 		3 years, 160 days D. Y. Chandrachud Allahabad 7
Since
15 December 2025 		21 November 2011
(14 years, 90 days)
Delhi High Court Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya
(list) 		29 July 2023
(2 years, 205 days)
Date of appointment in current HC
21 January 2025
(1 year, 29 days) 		15 June 2027
(−1 year, 116 days) 		3 years, 322 days
Tenure in current HC
2 years, 146 days 		D. Y. Chandrachud
Nominated in current HC
Sanjiv Khanna 		Allahabad 9
Since
15 December 2025 		47th CJ of Bombay
From 29 July 2023 – 20 January 2025
(1 year, 176 days)
Gauhati High Court Ashutosh Kumar
(list) 		21 July 2025
(213 days) 		30 September 2028
(−2 years, 224 days) 		3 years, 72 days B. R. Gavai Patna 42
Since
10 January 2026 		15 May 2014
(11 years, 280 days) 		R. M. Lodha
Gujarat High Court Sunita Agarwal
(list) 		23 July 2023
(2 years, 211 days) 		29 April 2028
(−2 years, 70 days) 		4 years, 282 days D. Y. Chandrachud Allahabad 8
Since
15 December 2025 		21 November 2011
(14 years, 90 days) 		S. H. Kapadia
Himachal Pradesh High Court Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia
(list) 		29 December 2024
(1 year, 52 days) 		31 October 2027
(−1 year, 254 days) 		2 years, 307 days Punjab and Haryana 6
Since
15 December 2025 		30 September 2011
(14 years, 142 days)
Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court Arun Palli
(list) 		16 April 2025
(309 days) 		17 September 2026
(−210 days) 		1 year, 155 days Sanjiv Khanna Punjab and Haryana 31
Since
10 January 2026 		28 December 2013
(12 years, 53 days) 		P. Sathasivam
Jharkhand High Court Mahesh Sharadchandra Sonak
(list) 		9 January 2026
(41 days) 		27 November 2026
(−281 days) 		323 days Surya Kant Bombay 22
Since
10 January 2026 		21 June 2013
(12 years, 243 days) 		Altamas Kabir
Karnataka High Court Vibhu Bakhru
(list) 		19 July 2025
(215 days) 		1 November 2028
(−2 years, 256 days) 		3 years, 106 days B. R. Gavai Delhi 17
Since
10 January 2026 		17 April 2013
(12 years, 308 days)
Kerala High Court Soumen Sen
(list) 		8 October 2025
(134 days)
Date of appointment in current HC
10 January 2026
(40 days) 		26 July 2027
(−1 year, 157 days) 		1 year, 292 days
Tenure in current HC
1 year, 198 days 		B. R. Gavai
Nominated in current HC
Surya Kant 		Calcutta 3
Since
15 December 2025 		13 April 2011
(14 years, 312 days) 		S. H. Kapadia 14th CJ of Meghalaya
From 8 October 2025 – 9 January 2026
(94 days)
Madhya Pradesh High Court Sanjeev Sachdeva
(list) 		17 July 2025
(217 days) 		25 December 2026
(−309 days) 		1 year, 162 days B. R. Gavai Delhi 16
Since
10 January 2026 		17 April 2013
(12 years, 308 days) 		Altamas Kabir
Madras High Court Manindra Mohan Shrivastava
(list) 		6 February 2024
(2 years, 13 days)
Date of appointment in current HC
21 July 2025
(213 days) 		5 March 2026
(−14 days) 		2 years, 28 days
Tenure in current HC
228 days 		D. Y. Chandrachud
Nominated in current HC
B. R. Gavai 		Chhattisgarh 1
Since
15 December 2025 		10 December 2009
(16 years, 71 days) 		K. G. Balakrishnan 42nd CJ of Rajasthan
From 6 February 2024 – 20 July 2025
(1 year, 165 days)
Manipur High Court M. Sundar
(list) 		15 September 2025
(157 days) 		18 July 2028
(−2 years, 150 days) 		2 years, 308 days B. R. Gavai Madras 70
Since
10 January 2026 		5 October 2016
(9 years, 137 days) 		T. S. Thakur
Meghalaya High Court Revati Prashant Mohite Dere
(list) 		10 January 2026
(40 days) 		16 April 2027
(−1 year, 56 days) 		1 year, 97 days Surya Kant Bombay 21
Since
10 January 2026 		21 June 2013
(12 years, 243 days) 		Altamas Kabir
Orissa High Court Harish Tandon
(list) 		26 March 2025
(330 days) 		15 November 2026
(−269 days) 		1 year, 235 days Sanjiv Khanna Calcutta 2
Since
15 December 2025 		13 April 2010
(15 years, 312 days) 		K. G. Balakrishnan
Patna High Court Sangam Kumar Sahoo
(list) 		7 January 2026
(43 days) 		4 June 2026
(−105 days) 		149 days Surya Kant Orissa 43
Since
10 January 2026 		2 July 2014
(11 years, 232 days) 		R. M. Lodha
Punjab & Haryana High Court Sheel Nagu
(list) 		9 July 2024
(1 year, 225 days) 		31 December 2026
(−315 days) 		2 years, 176 days D. Y. Chandrachud Madhya Pradesh 4
Since
15 December 2025 		27 May 2011
(14 years, 268 days) 		S. H. Kapadia
Rajasthan High Court Sanjeev Prakash Sharma[†]
(list) 		28 September 2025
(144 days) 		26 September 2026
(−219 days) 		364 days -- Rajasthan 88 16 November 2016
(9 years, 95 days) 		T. S. Thakur
Sikkim High Court Muhamed Mustaque Ayumantakath
(list) 		4 January 2026
(46 days) 		31 May 2029
(−3 years, 101 days) 		3 years, 148 days Surya Kant Kerala 36
Since
10 January 2026 		23 January 2014
(12 years, 27 days) 		P. Sathasivam
Telangana High Court Aparesh Kumar Singh
(list) 		17 April 2023
(2 years, 308 days)
Date of appointment in current HC
19 July 2025
(215 days) 		6 July 2027
(−1 year, 137 days) 		4 years, 81 days
Tenure in current HC
1 year, 353 days 		D. Y. Chandrachud
Nominated in current HC
B. R. Gavai 		Jharkhand 10
Since
10 January 2026 		24 January 2012
(14 years, 26 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, 265 days)
Date of appointment in current HC
22 July 2025
(212 days) 		6 August 2028
(−2 years, 169 days) 		5 years, 69 days
Tenure in current HC
3 years, 16 days 		D. Y. Chandrachud
Nominated in current HC
B. R. Gavai 		Telangana 11
Since
10 January 2026 		29 June 2012
(13 years, 235 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 Manoj Kumar Gupta
(list) 		10 January 2026
(40 days) 		8 October 2026
(−231 days) 		272 days Surya Kant Allahabad 15
Since
10 January 2026 		12 April 2013
(12 years, 313 days) 		Altamas Kabir

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

15 December 2025 - Retirement of Biswanath Somadder (CJ of Sikkim) on 14 December 2025 (S.R. 1)

10 January 2026 - Retirement of N. M. Jamdar (CJ of Kerala) on 9 January 2026 (S.R. 10)

See also

References

  1. ^ "Rule of law index 2016". Justice Project. Archived from the original on 29 April 2015. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  2. ^ "Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to have separate HCs". The Hindu. 26 December 2018. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  3. ^ "Memorandum of procedure of appointment of Supreme Court Judges". Government of India. Archived from the original on 9 March 2024. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  4. ^ "Justice Surya Kant sworn in as 53rd Chief Justice of India". thehindu.com. 24 November 2025.
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