Who was the First Chief Justice of India?
The Chief Justice of the Republic of India is the highest-ranking officer of the Indian federal judiciary and the chief judge of the Supreme Court of India. The chief justice is in charge of allocating cases and appointing constitutional benches that deal with key legal issues as head of the Supreme Court. The chief justice delegated all work to the other judges, who were required to return the case back to him or her under Article 145 of the Indian Constitution and the Supreme Court Rules of Procedure of 1966.
This article contains a list of all the Chief Justices of India (CJI). India has a total of 48 Chief Justices who have served since the foundation of the Supreme Court of India in 1950, which supplanted the Federal Court of India. The first Chief Justice of India (Independent India) was Sir Harilal Jekisundas Kania and the current and 48th Chief Justice of India is Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana.
Name of the Chief Justices of India
The CJI of India list is Given Below:
How is the Chief Justice of India Appointed?
It is outlined in the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) between the government and judiciary how the next CJI will be appointed. According to the MoP, the Chief Justice of India should be appointed by the most senior Supreme Court judge who is regarded as qualified to fill the position. As per the MoP, the procedure begins with a request from the Union Law Minister to the outgoing CJI for advice at an "appropriate time." If the current Chief Justice of India has any questions regarding the senior-most judge's fitness to hold the office of Chief Justice of India, he can contact the collegium.
What is Collegium?
The Collegium System is the process through which Supreme Court judges are appointed, promoted, and transferred. The Chief Justice of India and four of the Supreme Court's most senior judges oversee it.
How can a Chief Justice of India Impeach?
The method for removing a Supreme Court judge is laid forth in Article 124(4) of the Indian Constitution, which also applies to chief justices. Once nominated, the chief justice serves until he or she reaches the age of 65. He can only be dismissed by Parliament through the following procedure:
Step 1: A notice of motion is filed by 100 Lok Sabha members or 50 Rajya Sabha members (MPs). This removal motion can be filed in either House.
Step 2: The Speaker/Chairman of the House can either accept or reject the motion.
If the motion is accepted, the Speaker or Chairman of the House appoints a three-member committee to investigate the charges, consisting of a senior Supreme Court judge, a High Court judge, and a famous jurist. This committee would investigate the alleged charges levelled against the Chief Justice of India.
Step 3: If the three-member committee decides to support the motion, it is brought up for debate in the House, where it was introduced, and must be passed by a special majority - that is, it must be supported by a majority of the total membership of that House, not less than two-thirds of those present and voting.
Step 4: Once passed, it is brought up in the next House, where it must be passed by a special majority once more.
Step 5: After the motion is passed with a two-thirds majority in both Houses, the President of India is approached to remove the Chief Justice of India.
What is Article 124 in the Constitution of India?
Article 124 of the Indian Constitution states that:
A Supreme Court of India shall be composed of a Chief Justice of India and not more than seven other Judges unless Parliament by law prescribes a larger number.
Supreme Court judges shall be appointed by the President under his hand and seal, following consultation with such of the Supreme Court and high court judges as he may deem necessary, and shall hold office until they reach age 65.
Provided, however, that when a Judge other than the Chief Justice is appointed, the Chief Justice of India is always consulted:
Furthermore, provided that —
(a) A Judge may resign his office by writing to the President under his hand;
(b) A Judge may be removed from office in accordance with clause (4). (2A) The age of a Supreme Court Judge shall be determined by such authority and in such manner as Parliament may provide by law.
A person is ineligible for appointment as a Supreme Court Judge unless he is a citizen of India and —
(a) has served as a Judge of a High Court or two or more such Courts in succession for at least five years; or
(b) has been an advocate of a High Court or two or more such Courts in succession for at least ten years; or
(c) is a distinguished jurist in the President's opinion.
Removing a Supreme Court Judge requires the President to issue an order after each House of Parliament has addressed the President in the same session with an address that has been supported by a majority of the total membership in that House, as well as by at least two-thirds of the members present and voting in that House.
Under clause (4), Parliament may by law regulate the procedure for presenting an address as well as the investigation and proof of a Judge's misbehaviour or incapacity.
Before taking up his or her appointment as a Supreme Court Judge, each person shall take and subscribe to an oath or affirmation in the form prescribed in the Third Schedule before the President or any person appointed on his or her behalf.
After serving on the Supreme Court, no one can plead or act before any court on Indian soil.
Supreme Court of India: Interesting Facts
Supreme Court of India was founded in 1950, on 28th January replacing the Federal Court of India, established in 1935 by the Government of India Act, and Privy Council (the country's highest court during British rule).
The Supreme Court of India's opening ceremony was held in the Chamber of Princes on Parliament grounds. For 12 years, from 1937 to 1950, the Chamber of Princes served as the bench of the Judicature of India and the Supreme Court of India, until moving to its current location in 1958.
During its early years, the Supreme Court met from 10 AM to 12 PM and then from 2 PM to 4 PM every day of the year. However, it now meets for 190 days out of the year.
On October 29, 1954, Dr Rajendra Prasad, India's first President, laid the foundation stone for the Supreme Court building.
It is built on 17 acres of triangular plot land in Hardinge Avenue, directly across from the Hardinge Bridge, and was designed in an Indo-British architectural style by chief architect Ganesh Bhikaji Deolalikar, the first Indian to lead the CPWD.
The strange thing is that the Supreme Court (SC) building is designed and shaped in such a way that it represents the justice scales. As Rajendra Prasad stated, the two pans of the justice scales must be held equally. Justice scales are represented by the middle wing of the Supreme Court structure, which includes the Chief Justice's Court and two huge courtrooms on either side.
The building's right and left wings represent two scales. The Right-Wing houses the offices of the Attorney General of India and other law officers, as well as the bar-room and library, while the Left Wing houses the Court's offices.
1979 saw the addition of East and West wing additions to the structure, with the last addition in 1994.
On February 20, 1980, Chintamani Kar sculpted a 210-cm-high black bronze sculpture on the lawn of SC. While holding a book open in his hands, this statue depicts a woman giving refuge to her child, who is carrying an open book. As the lady, Mother India protects the nascent Republic of India. The book symbolises the land's laws, and the balance symbolises equitable justice for all.
Kerala produced the country's first woman judge and the first woman Supreme Court judge. Anna Chandy was the first, enrolling in law school in 1927 and passing the bar in 1929. In 1937, she was promoted to first-grade Zila Munsif, and in 1948, she was appointed the first District Judge. Most likely the second woman ever to serve as a Kerala High Court Judge was Fatima Beevi in 1959.
Assembled by Fathima Beevi, a Supreme Court justice in 1959, was the first woman judge in India and Asia.
The abacus's wheel of Ashoka's Sarnath Lion capital with 24 spokes inspired the design of the Court's seal.
FAQs on List of all the Chief Justice of India
1. Who was the 1st Chief Justice of the Supreme Court?
First Supreme Court Chief Justice of India was Harilal Jekisundas Kania. From 1950 to 1951, he was the Chief Justice of India. In 1951, he died while working in the office.
2. Who was the 45th Chief Justice of India?
The 45th Chief Justice of India was Justice Dipak Misra. He served in the role from 28 August 2017 till 2 October 2018. He is also a former Chief Justice of the High Courts of Patna and Delhi. He is the nephew of the late Supreme Court Justice Ranganath Misra. the 21st Chief Justice, who served from 1990 to 1991. He was the 44th Chief Justice of India, succeeding J. S. Khehar.
3. Name the 46th Chief Justice of India.
46th Chief Justice of India was Ranjan Gogoi who served between 2018 and 2019 for a period of 13 months.
4. Who is the last Chief Justice of India?
The last Chief Justice of India and the current CJI of India is Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana. He previously served as a Supreme Court of India Judge, Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, and Acting Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court. He was also president of the Andhra Pradesh Judicial Academy.
