New Delhi: Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar was on Wednesday sworn in as the Chief Justice of India (CJI).

Khehar was administered the oath of office by President Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhavan here.

Khehar is the 44th CJI and also the first Sikh to hold the apex office.

He succeeded Justice Tirath Singh Thakur. Khehar is the 44th CJI and also the first Sikh to hold the apex office. He would have a tenure of little over seven months.

Khehar was the author of the judgment by a five-judge constitution bench that held "unconstitutional" the Constitution's 99th amendment paving way for the National Judicial Appointment Commission and the National Judicial Appointment Commission Act, 2014.

Besides heading the bench in NJAC matter, Justice Khehar has also headed a bench which had set aside the imposition of President's rule in Arunachal Pradesh in January.

He was a part of the bench which sent Sahara chief Subrata Roy to jail while hearing the matter relating to the refund of money invested by people in his two companies.

Justice Khehar also headed a bench which recently gave a significant verdict holding that the principal of 'equal pay for equal work' has to be made applicable to those engaged as daily wagers, casual and contractual employees who perform the same duties as the regulars.

While the turf war between the judiciary and the executive over the appointment of judges for higher judiciary has intensified, Justice Khehar on the occasion of Constitution Day on November 26 had responded to the tirade from Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi by saying the judiciary was working within its "lakshmanrekha".

"Judiciary is mandated to shield all persons, citizens and non-citizens alike, against discrimination and abuse of State power. Liberty, equality and dignity of citizen have flourished substantially in India due to the pro-active role of judiciary in the country," he had said.