Justice BR Gavai set to become 52nd Chief Justice of India following CJI Khanna's recommendation
PTC Web Desk: Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai has been officially recommended to become the 52nd Chief Justice of India (CJI), with the current CJI Sanjiv Khanna forwarding his name to the Union Law Ministry. Justice Gavai is expected to take oath on May 14, 2025, a day after Justice Khanna retires on May 13, 2025.
Justice Gavai will hold the position for approximately six months, retiring in November 2025. His appointment will mark a historic moment, as he becomes the second Dalit Chief Justice of India, following Justice KG Balakrishnan, who held the top judicial post from 2007.
As a senior judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Gavai has played a significant role in major judicial decisions, including the upholding of the 2016 demonetisation policy and the recent declaration of the electoral bonds scheme as unconstitutional.
Justice BR Gavai’s Legal Journey
Justice Gavai began his legal profession in 1985, initially working under Raja S Bhonsale, the former Advocate General and High Court Judge. In 1987, he started independent legal practice at the Bombay High Court, focusing primarily on Constitutional and Administrative Law. Over the years, he represented numerous civic bodies and educational institutions, including the Nagpur and Amravati Municipal Corporations, Amravati University, and state-run enterprises like SICOM and DCVL.
In 1992, he was appointed Assistant Government Pleader and Additional Public Prosecutor at the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court. His promotion to Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor came in 2000. He was subsequently appointed as an Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court in 2003.
Justice Gavai served at various benches of the Bombay High Court, including Mumbai, Nagpur, Aurangabad, and Panaji, before being elevated to the Supreme Court of India on May 24, 2019.
- With inputs from agencies
