On 29-4-2025, the President of India in exercise of powers under Article 124(2) of the Constitution, appointed Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai as the 52nd Chief Justice of India with effect from 14-5-2025. Furthermore, Justice Gavai will also become only the 2nd Chief Justice belonging to the Scheduled Caste community after former CJI, Justice K.G. Balakrishnan.
Justice Gavai, whose name for the position was recommended on 16-4-2025, will take over reins from Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who is set to retire on 13-5-2025 after a tenure of 6 months as 51st Chief Justice of India.
Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai was born on 24-11-1960 at Amravati to late R.S. Gavai, who was a noted social activist, Member of Parliament and former Governor of Bihar and Kerala. At the age of 25, Justice Gavai joined the Bar and enrolled as an advocate in 1985 and started practicing at the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court. Justice Gavai practiced independently at Bombay High Court from 1987 to 1990 and after 1990, practised mainly before the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court. His practise was mostly focussed on issues related to Constitutional Law and Administrative Law.
Eventually Justice Gavai was appointed as a Judge of the Bombay High Court on 14-11-2003 and became a Permanent Judge of the Bombay High Court on 12-11-2005.
Justice Gavai presided over Benches having all types of assignments at the Principal Seat in Mumbai as well as Benches at Nagpur, Aurangabad and Panaji. After 16 years of Judgeship at the Bombay High Court, Justice B.R. Gavai was elevated as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India on 24-05-2019. The Collegium in recommending Justice Gavai’s name for the Supreme Court, gave due weight to his seniority, integrity, merit and due representation in the Supreme Court. He is due to retire on 23-11-2025.
Read More: Know Thy Judge | Supreme Court of India: Justice B.R. Gavai
