Justice BR Gavai Appointed Next Chief Justice Of India

New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu has approved the appointment of Justice BR Gavai as the next Chief Justice of India (CJI) with effect from May 14. Justice Gavai will take over the charge as the 52nd CJI after the incumbent CJI Justice Sanjiv Khanna, will retire on May 13. Notably, Justice Gavai would also be the second CJI belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC) community after Justice KG Balakrishnan, who retired as the CJI in 2010. The official notification was issued on Tuesday.

Justice BR Gavai, who has been appointed as the 52nd Chief Justice of India, has a distinguished judicial career underlining his commitment to upholding the Constitution of India. Justice Gavai possesses a reputation for being a fair and impartial judge and has been a stalwart of the Supreme Court of India. He has a history of delivering several landmark judgments.

Justice Gavai's tenure as the CJI is expected to be marked by several challenges and opportunities. As the head of the Indian judiciary, he will play a crucial role in shaping the country's legal framework and ensuring that justice is delivered in a fair and timely manner. His appointment comes at a time when the judiciary is facing several challenges, including a massive backlog of cases and concerns about judicial accountability.

As a judge, his judgments have reflected a strong commitment to protecting the rights of marginalised communities and promoting the values of justice, liberty, and equality.

Law Ministry Issued Notification

The Law Ministry has issued a notification announcing Justice Gavai's appointment as the 52nd Chief Justice of India. The notification follows the recommendation of his name by CJI Khanna on April 16 to the central government.

Justice Gavai will have a tenure of six months as the CJI, and he will demit office on December 23, upon attaining the age of 65 years. As the senior-most Supreme Court judge after the incumbent CJI Khanna, Justice Gavai's appointment is in accordance with the established convention of seniority and experience in the Supreme Court. 

With his wealth of experience and commitment to upholding the Constitution, his appointment as the next CJI marks a new chapter in the country's judicial history. 

Who Is Justice BR Gavai

Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai is a distinguished jurist who has served the Indian judiciary with dedication and expertise. Born on November 24, 1960, in Maharashtra 's Amravati district, Justice Gavai's illustrious career spans over three decades. He began his legal journey by enrolling as a lawyer on March 16 in the year 1985. 

Initially he worked under the guidance of the late Raja S Bhonsale, a former Advocate General and High Court judge, until 1987. Later, he started his independent practice at the Bombay High Court, primarily appearing before the Nagpur Bench from 1990 onwards.

Justice Gavai developed a specialisation in Constitutional and Administrative Law, representing various government bodies, municipal corporations, and universities. He served as Standing Counsel for the municipal corporations of Nagpur and Amravati, as well as Amravati University.

In August 1992, Justice Gavai was appointed Assistant Government Pleader and Additional Public Prosecutor at the Bombay High Court, Nagpur Bench. He later became the Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor in January 2000. His impressive career led to his elevation as an Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court on November 14 in the year 2003. He became a permanent judge on November 12, 2005, and presided over benches at Mumbai, Nagpur, Aurangabad, and Panaji, handling cases across all domains.

In March 2019, Justice Gavai was elevated to the Supreme Court, bringing his wealth of experience and expertise to the country's apex court. 

Throughout his tenure at the Supreme Court, Justice Gavai has been involved in several landmark rulings, including, electoral bonds case in 2024, bulldozer demolitions case in 2024, demonetisation verdict in 2023 and Article 370 abrogation case 2023.