Chief Justices & AmbassadorsChief Justices & Ambassadors

The office of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) is a cornerstone of the Indian democratic setup, governed by specific constitutional mandates.

• Article 124: Establishes the Supreme Court of India. Article 124(2) states that every Judge of the Supreme Court shall be appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal.
• Oath of Office: Administered by the President of India according to the Third Schedule of the Constitution of India (Article 124(6)).
• Tenure and Removal: A Supreme Court judge holds office until the age of 65 years. Removal is executed by Presidential order after an address by Parliament supported by a special majority (Article 124(4)).
• 51st CJI Sanjiv Khanna: Appointed on November 11, 2024. He succeeded Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and has a tenure lasting until May 13, 2025.
• 50th CJI D.Y. Chandrachud: Served from Nov 9, 2022, to Nov 10, 2024. Noted for landmark judgments on privacy, decriminalization of homosexuality, and driving the e-Courts Phase III project.

Diplomatic representation is crucial for India's foreign policy. High-profile appointments of Ambassadors and High Commissioners shape bilateral ties.

• Ambassador vs High Commissioner: Envoys sent to Commonwealth member nations are designated as 'High Commissioners', whereas those sent to non-Commonwealth nations are designated as 'Ambassadors'.
• Permanent Representative to UN: Parvathaneni Harish (IFS: 1990) was appointed as India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York in August 2024, succeeding Ruchira Kamboj.
• Ambassador to the United States: Vinay Mohan Kwatra, former Foreign Secretary of India, was appointed as the Ambassador of India to the United States of America in July 2024.

Indian jurists have consistently marked their presence in global judicial bodies, enhancing India's stature in international law.

• International Court of Justice (ICJ): Justice Dalveer Bhandari serves as a judge at the ICJ (The Hague, Netherlands). He was re-elected in November 2017 for a second 9-year term (2018-2027).
• ICJ Composition: Consists of 15 judges elected for 9-year terms by the UN General Assembly and the Security Council. No two judges can be from the same nation.
• Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA): Established in 1899, India is a member state. It facilitates arbitration and other forms of dispute resolution between states.