Who was the first Chief Justice of India?

Kania. Justice Harilal Jekisundas Kania (1890-1951) was the first Chief Justice of India. He was born in Surat, in present-day Gujarat, and practised law in Bombay before becoming a judge of the Bombay High Court.

Before the Constitution came into force, India had a Federal Court, set up in 1937 under the Government of India Act, 1935. Kania became the Chief Justice of the Federal Court on 14 August 1947, the last person to hold that office. When the Constitution came into force on 26 January 1950, the Federal Court was replaced by the Supreme Court of India, which was inaugurated on 28 January 1950. Kania became its first Chief Justice. He served until his death in office on 6 November 1951.

The Supreme Court originally sat in the Chamber of Princes in the Parliament House. It moved to its present building on Tilak Marg, New Delhi, in 1958.

Under Article 124 of the Constitution, the Supreme Court originally had a Chief Justice and seven other judges. Parliament has increased this number over time; since 2019, the sanctioned strength is 34 judges, including the Chief Justice. Judges are appointed by the President, and by convention the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court is appointed Chief Justice. Since the Second Judges Case (1993), appointments have been made through the collegium system.

Other notable firsts in the judiciary:

Fathima Beevi became the first woman judge of the Supreme Court in 1989.

Justice K.G. Balakrishnan (2007) became the first Dalit Chief Justice of India.

Justice Y.V. Chandrachud (1978-85) had the longest tenure as Chief Justice.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Patanjali Sastri was the second Chief Justice of India (1951-54).
• ✗Mehr Chand Mahajan was the third (1954).

B.K. Mukherjea was the fourth (1954-56).