Who was the Chief Justice of India in February 2017?

Concept

To identify an office-holder for a historical month, compare the month with the official start and end dates of each person’s tenure. The person whose tenure interval contains that month held the office then.

Application

1. Justice T. S. Thakur’s term ended on 3 January 2017.

2. Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar was sworn in on 4 January 2017 and served until 27 August 2017.

3. February 2017 falls between 4 January and 27 August 2017, so the Chief Justice during that month was Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar.

Contrast

• Justice T. S. Thakur had left the office before February 2017.

• Justice C. S. Karnan was a High Court judge, not the Chief Justice of India.

• Justice H. L. Dattu’s tenure as Chief Justice of India ended in December 2015.

• Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar’s tenure included February 2017.

Result

Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar was the Chief Justice of India in February 2017.