Justice B.R. Gavai has been appointed as the 52nd Chief Justice of India, becoming the second CJI from the Scheduled Caste community, with his oath scheduled for May 14, 2025.
President Droupadi Murmu has approved the appointment of Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai as the 52nd Chief Justice of India (CJI). He is scheduled to take the oath of office on May 14, 2025, succeeding Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who is set to retire on May 13, 2025.
The announcement was made by Union Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal via social media platform X, confirming that the appointment was made under the powers vested by the Constitution of India. Justice Gavai, currently serving as a judge of the Supreme Court, is next in line to assume the top judicial post based on the established seniority norm.
Justice Gavai will become only the second Chief Justice of India from the Scheduled Caste community, after Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, who retired in 2010.
A distinguished legal journey
Born on November 24, 1960, in Amravati, Maharashtra, Justice Gavai began his legal career when he joined the Bar on March 16, 1985. He practiced in the Bombay High Court from 1987, primarily handling constitutional and administrative law matters. In 2003, he was elevated as an Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court and was made a Permanent Judge in November 2005. He was appointed to the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019, and is due to retire on November 23, 2025, giving him a tenure of a little over six months as CJI.
Justice Gavai is the son of Ramakrishna Suryabhan Gavai, popularly known as ‘Dadasaheb’, a respected Dalit leader and former Governor of Bihar.
Landmark judgments and contributions
During his tenure on the Supreme Court bench, Justice Gavai has contributed to several landmark rulings:
- He was part of the Constitution Bench that upheld the abrogation of Article 370, effectively revoking Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.
- Justice Gavai was among the judges who struck down the electoral bonds scheme, citing transparency and accountability concerns in political funding.
- In a significant move against misuse of executive powers, he laid down nationwide guidelines against illegal demolitions, often referred to as the “bulldozer culture”.
- He was part of a key Constitution Bench ruling that allowed States to sub-classify Scheduled Castes within the Presidential List to offer targeted benefits in education and employment.
- Justice Gavai authored the judgment in the Manish Sisodia bail case, reinforcing the constitutional guarantee of personal liberty.
- He also presided over the bench that ordered the release of A.G. Perarivalan, convicted in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
A historic appointment
Justice Gavai’s elevation as Chief Justice marks not just a continuation of seniority tradition but also a significant moment of representation within the judiciary. His upcoming tenure is expected to focus on upholding constitutional values, enhancing judicial accountability, and promoting access to justice.
His appointment has been welcomed by members of the legal fraternity and civil society as a step forward in diversifying leadership within India’s apex court.
