Justice BR Gavai to Succeed Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna: Who Is He?

New Delhi: Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai, the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court is all set to become the 52nd Chief Justice of India (CJI). This comes after CJI Sanjiv Khanna recommended Justice Gavai as his successor. He will be sworn in on May 14, with President Droupadi Murmu administering the oath of office at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Justice Sanjiv Khanna had taken over as the 51st Chief Justice in November 2024, following the retirement of Justice DY Chandrachud upon turning 65. 

Who is Justice BR Gavai?

Born on November 24, 1960, in Amravati, Maharashtra , Justice Gavai began his legal career after enrolling at the Bar on March 16, 1985. He initially trained under Raja S Bhonsale, a former Advocate General and Judge of the Bombay High Court, before beginning his independent legal practice at the Bombay High Court in 1987.

Justice Gavai specialized in Constitutional and Administrative Law, representing a range of public bodies including the Municipal Corporations of Nagpur and Amravati, Amravati University, and state-run corporations such as SICOM and DCVL.

In August 1992, he was appointed as Assistant Government Pleader and Additional Public Prosecutor at the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court. He was later promoted to Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor in 2000.

Justice Gavai was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court on November 14, 2003, and was confirmed as a Permanent Judge in 2005. During his tenure, he served at the principal seat in Mumbai as well as benches in Nagpur, Aurangabad, and Panaji.

He was elevated to the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019, and has since contributed to key constitutional and legal matters.

Justice Gavai will assume office as Chief Justice of India on May 14, 2025, and will serve until his retirement on November 23, 2025.