Appointment Process for CJI

• Procedure: The outgoing CJI recommends the successor. The Law Minister forwards this to the Prime Minister, who advises the President.
• Seniority Convention: The Second Judges Case (1993) established that the senior-most Supreme Court judge must be appointed as CJI.
• Constitutional Basis: Appointed by the President under Article 124(2).
• Appointment of Other SC Judges
• Collegium Recommendation: Under Article 124(2), Supreme Court judges are appointed by the President on the advice of the Collegium (CJI + four senior-most judges)
• The Collegium System has evolved through the Three Judges Cases (1981, 1993, & 1998).
• Eligibility Criteria for Supreme Court Judges :He/She must be a Citizen of India and must have been:-
• an judge of High Court for 5 years OR
• an advocate for High Court for 10 years OR
• a distinguished jurist (in the opinion of the President’s)
• Tenure: Holds office until 65 years of age. 
• Note: A person who has been a Judge of the Supreme Court is debarred from practicing in any court of law or before any other authority in India.
• Removal of a Supreme Court Judge
• Grounds of Removal: only on grounds of “Proven misbehaviour, or Incapacity”
• The President can remove a judge only after both Houses of Parliament pass a special resolution.
• This resolution must be supported by:-
• A majority of the total membership of each House, and at least two-thirds of the members present and voting.
• Both Houses must pass this resolution in the same session.
• The procedure for removal of judges is elaborated in the Judges Inquiry Act, 1968.