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]
| Name | Surya Kant [4] (list) |
|---|---|
| Image |  |
| Date of elevation to Supreme Court | 24 May 2019 (6 years, 231 days) |
| Date of Appointment as CJI | 24 November 2025 (47 days) |
| Date of Retirement | 9 February 2027 (−1 year, 30 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, 1 day) |
| Parent High Court | Punjab and Haryana |
| 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 (1 year, 339 days) | 14 October 2029 (−3 years, 277 days) | 5 years, 252 days | D. Y. Chandrachud | Droupadi Murmu | Rajasthan | 12 Since 10 January 2026 | 8 January 2013 (13 years, 2 days) | Altamas Kabir | ||
| Andhra Pradesh High Court | Dhiraj Singh Thakur (list) | 28 July 2023 (2 years, 166 days) | 24 April 2026 (−104 days) | 2 years, 271 days | Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh | 14 Since 10 January 2026 | 8 March 2013 (12 years, 308 days) | |||||
| Bombay High Court |  | Shree Chandrashekhar (list) | 5 September 2025 (127 days) | 24 May 2027 (−1 year, 134 days) | 1 year, 262 days | B. R. Gavai | Jharkhand | 13 Since 10 January 2026 | 17 January 2013 (12 years, 358 days) | |||
| Calcutta High Court | Sujoy Paul [†] (list) | 8 October 2025 (94 days) | 20 June 2026 (−161 days) | 256 days | -- | Madhya Pradesh | 5 | 27 May 2011 (14 years, 228 days) | S. H. Kapadia | |||
| Chhattisgarh High Court | Ramesh Sinha (list) | 29 March 2023 (2 years, 287 days) | 4 September 2026 (−237 days) | 3 years, 160 days | D. Y. Chandrachud | Allahabad | 7 Since 15 December 2025 | 21 November 2011 (14 years, 50 days) | ||||
| Delhi High Court | Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya (list) | 29 July 2023 (2 years, 165 days) Date of appointment in current HC 21 January 2025 (354 days) | 15 June 2027 (−1 year, 156 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 | 21 November 2011 (14 years, 50 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 (173 days) | 30 September 2028 (−2 years, 264 days) | 3 years, 72 days | B. R. Gavai | Patna | 42 Since 10 January 2026 | 15 May 2014 (11 years, 240 days) | R. M. Lodha | |||
| Gujarat High Court | Sunita Agarwal (list) | 23 July 2023 (2 years, 171 days) | 29 April 2028 (−2 years, 110 days) | 4 years, 282 days | D. Y. Chandrachud | Allahabad | 8 Since 15 December 2025 | 21 November 2011 (14 years, 50 days) | S. H. Kapadia | |||
| Himachal Pradesh High Court | Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia (list) | 29 December 2024 (1 year, 12 days) | 31 October 2027 (−1 year, 294 days) | 2 years, 307 days | Punjab and Haryana | 6 Since 15 December 2025 | 30 September 2011 (14 years, 102 days) | |||||
| Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court | Arun Palli (list) | 16 April 2025 (269 days) | 17 September 2026 (−250 days) | 1 year, 155 days | Sanjiv Khanna | Punjab and Haryana | 31 Since 10 January 2026 | 28 December 2013 (12 years, 13 days) | P. Sathasivam | |||
| Jharkhand High Court |  | Mahesh Sharadchandra Sonak (list) | 9 January 2026 (1 day) | 27 November 2026 (−321 days) | 323 days | Surya Kant | Bombay | 22 Since 10 January 2026 | 21 June 2013 (12 years, 203 days) | Altamas Kabir | ||
| Karnataka High Court |  | Vibhu Bakhru (list) | 19 July 2025 (175 days) | 1 November 2028 (−2 years, 296 days) | 3 years, 106 days | B. R. Gavai | Delhi | 17 Since 10 January 2026 | 17 April 2013 (12 years, 268 days) | |||
| Kerala High Court | Soumen Sen (list) | 8 October 2025 (94 days) Date of appointment in current HC 10 January 2026 (0 days) | 26 July 2027 (−1 year, 197 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, 272 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 (177 days) | 25 December 2026 (−349 days) | 1 year, 162 days | B. R. Gavai | Delhi | 16 Since 10 January 2026 | 17 April 2013 (12 years, 268 days) | Altamas Kabir | |||
| Madras High Court | Manindra Mohan Shrivastava (list) | 6 February 2024 (1 year, 338 days) Date of appointment in current HC 21 July 2025 (173 days) | 5 March 2026 (−54 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, 31 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 (117 days) | 18 July 2028 (−2 years, 190 days) | 2 years, 308 days | B. R. Gavai | Madras | 70 Since 10 January 2026 | 5 October 2016 (9 years, 97 days) | T. S. Thakur | |||
| Meghalaya High Court | Revati Prashant Mohite Dere (list) | 10 January 2026 (0 days) | 16 April 2027 (−1 year, 96 days) | 1 year, 97 days | Surya Kant | Bombay | 21 Since 10 January 2026 | 21 June 2013 (12 years, 203 days) | Altamas Kabir | |||
| Orissa High Court |  | Harish Tandon (list) | 26 March 2025 (290 days) | 15 November 2026 (−309 days) | 1 year, 235 days | Sanjiv Khanna | Calcutta | 2 Since 15 December 2025 | 13 April 2010 (15 years, 272 days) | K. G. Balakrishnan | ||
| Patna High Court | Sangam Kumar Sahoo (list) | 7 January 2026 (3 days) | 4 June 2026 (−145 days) | 149 days | Surya Kant | Orissa | 43 Since 10 January 2026 | 2 July 2014 (11 years, 192 days) | R. M. Lodha | |||
| Punjab & Haryana High Court | Sheel Nagu (list) | 9 July 2024 (1 year, 185 days) | 31 December 2026 (−355 days) | 2 years, 176 days | D. Y. Chandrachud | Madhya Pradesh | 4 Since 15 December 2025 | 27 May 2011 (14 years, 228 days) | S. H. Kapadia | |||
| Rajasthan High Court | Sanjeev Prakash Sharma [†] (list) | 28 September 2025 (104 days) | 26 September 2026 (−259 days) | 364 days | -- | Rajasthan | 88 | 16 November 2016 (9 years, 55 days) | T. S. Thakur | |||
| Sikkim High Court | Muhamed Mustaque Ayumantakath (list) | 4 January 2026 (6 days) | 31 May 2029 (−3 years, 141 days) | 3 years, 148 days | Surya Kant | Kerala | 36 Since 10 January 2026 | 23 January 2014 (11 years, 352 days) | P. Sathasivam | |||
| Telangana High Court |  | Aparesh Kumar Singh (list) | 17 April 2023 (2 years, 268 days) Date of appointment in current HC 19 July 2025 (175 days) | 6 July 2027 (−1 year, 177 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 (13 years, 351 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, 225 days) Date of appointment in current HC 22 July 2025 (172 days) | 6 August 2028 (−2 years, 209 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, 195 days) | 28th CJ of Himachal Pradesh From 30 May 2023 – 24 September 2024 (1 year, 118 days) 16th CJ of Jharkhand | ||
| Uttarakhand High Court | Manoj Kumar Gupta (list) | 10 January 2026 (0 days) | 8 October 2026 (−271 days) | 272 days | Surya Kant | Allahabad | 15 Since 10 January 2026 | 12 April 2013 (12 years, 273 days) | Altamas Kabir |
Key
|
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)
| Law of India |
|  | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ministry of Law and Justice | ||||||||||
| Supreme Court | ||||||||||
| High Courts | ||||||||||
| District and Subordinate Courts | ||||||||||
| Alternative dispute resolution | ||||||||||
| Tribunals | ||||||||||
| Appointment of Judges | ||||||||||
| Bar | ||||||||||
| Others | ||||||||||