Mumbai, April 16: Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai (BR Gavai) is likely to take oath as the 52nd Chief Justice of India on May 14, succeeding CJI Sanjiv Khanna, who retires a day earlier on May 13. With a tenure of nearly six months, Justice Gavai will serve as the CJI until his retirement in November 2025. BR Gavai elevation marks a significant milestone, as he will become only the second Dalit to hold the position after Justice KG Balakrishnan, who served as CJI in 2007.

In keeping with the seniority convention, Chief Justice Khanna officially recommended Justice BR Gavai's name and forwarded it to the Union Law Ministry for approval. During his tenure at the Supreme Court, Justice BR Gavai was involved in several landmark decisions, including the judgment declaring the electoral bonds scheme unconstitutional and the verdict upholding the Modi government's 2016 demonetisation move. Justice BR Gavai To Be Next Chief Justice of India as CJI Sanjiv Khanna Recommends His Name in Proposal Sent to Law Ministry.

Who Is Justice BR Gavai?

As per the Supreme Court of India’s official website, Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai (BR Gavai) was born on November 24, 1960, in Amravati, Maharashtra. He enrolled with the Bar on March 16, 1985, and began his legal career under the guidance of the late Bar Raja S. Bhonsale, who served as Advocate General and later as a Judge of the High Court. After working with him until 1987, Justice Gavai began practising independently at the Bombay High Court and, from 1990 onwards, primarily at its Nagpur Bench. BR Gavai's legal expertise lies in Constitutional and Administrative Law. CJI Sanjiv Khanna Recommends Justice BR Gavai As Next Chief Justice of India Ahead of His Retirement.

Throughout his practice, BR Gavai represented several civic and academic institutions, including the Nagpur and Amravati Municipal Corporations, Amravati University, SICOM, DCVL, and various municipal councils across the Vidarbha region. He was appointed Assistant Government Pleader and Additional Public Prosecutor at the Nagpur Bench in August 1992 and later served as Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor from January 17, 2000. Justice Gavai was elevated as an Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court on November 14, 2003, and became a permanent Judge on November 12, 2005. He presided over various benches across Mumbai, Nagpur, Aurangabad, and Panaji. He was appointed to the Supreme Court of India on May 24, 2019, and is scheduled to retire on November 23, 2025.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 16, 2025 03:38 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).