Current CJI Sanjiv Khanna has recommended Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai to be appointed as the 52nd CJI. Key Judgments by Justice B.R. Gavai: Upheld 2016 demonetisation and he is a part of the Bench that upheld abrogation of Article 370.
About Current CJI
Sanjiv Khanna is an Indian jurist currently serving as the 51st Chief Justice of India since 11 November 2024.
Chief Justice of India (Head of the Supreme Court)
Qualification
1. Must be a citizen of India
2. He should have been a judge of a High Court (or high courts in succession) for five years or An advocate of a High Court (or High Courts in succession) for ten years or A distinguished jurist in the opinion of the President The Constitution has not prescribed a minimum age for appointment as a judge of the SC. SC judges retire on attaining the age of 65.
Appointment
1. CJI is appointed by the President under Article 124 (2) of the Constitution. As per the protocol, the senior-most judge of the SC is designated as the CJl. The recommendation of the senior-most judge of the SC is officially communicated by the incumbent CJI to the Ministry of Law and Justice, which, then, relays the com-munication to the Prime Minister
2. The Prime Minister advises the President on the recommendation and the President subsequently makes the appointment
Role
1. Swearing in of the President and Governors.
2. "Master of the Roster", CJI has the power to constitute benches to hear cases in the SC. CJI decides which judge will hear which case and when CJI (along with collegium of four senior most judges of SC) is consulted by the Presi dent for the appointment of judges in the SC and the HC CJI appoints ad-hoc SC judges under Article 127 of the Constitution
3. With the approval of the President, the CJI can change the seat of the SC from Delhi to any other place CJI can appoint an arbitrator to resolve a financial dispute between the Centre and the states
Removal
1. By an order of the President
2. Only after an address by Parliament has been presented to President Supported by a special majority of each House of Parliament (ie. by a majori ty of the total membership of that House and by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members of that House present and voting) Grounds of Removal - Proved misbehaviour or Incapacity (Article 124(4))
