Justice B R Gavai.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: The President on Tuesday appointed Justice B R Gavai, the second senior most judge in the Supreme Court as the Chief Justice of India from May 14.
"In exercise of the powers conferred by the Constitution of India, President Droupadi Murmu is pleased to appoint Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai, judge of the Supreme Court of India as the Chief Justice of India with effect from May 14, 2025," Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal announced on X.
Justice Gavai would take oath as the CJI on May 14, 2025 and continue on to the post till November 23, 2025, the date of his superannuation.
The appointment of Justice Gavai as the CJI would mark a historic milestone as he would become the second person from Dalit background to occupy the top post in the judiciary after former CJI Justice K G Balakrishnan.
As per the convention, incumbent CJI Sanjiv Khanna has on April 16 written to the Union government, for appointment of Justice Gavai as 52 nd Chief Justice of India.
Justice Khanna is to demit office as the CJI on May 13, 2025.
Justice Gavai is son of R S Gavai, a noted politician, who was the Governor of multiple states.
Born on November 24, 1960 at Amravati, Justice Gavai joined Bar on March 16, 1985.
He worked with late Barrister Raja S Bhonsale, former Advocate General and judge of Bombay High Court, till 1987.
He practised independently at Bombay High Court from 1987 to 1990. After 1990, he practised mainly before Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Cour in Constitutional Law and Administrative Law. He was Standing Counsel for Municipal Corporation of Nagpur, Amravati Municipal Corporation and Amravati University.
He also appeared regularly for various autonomous bodies and Corporations like SICOM, DCVL etc. and various Municipal Councils in Vidarbha region. He was appointed as Assistant Government Pleader and Additional Public Prosecutor in the High Court of Judicature at Bombay, Nagpur Bench, from August, 1992 to July, 1993.
Subsequently, he was appointed as Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor for Nagpur Bench on January 17, 2000.
Justice Gavai was elevated as Additional Judge of the High Court on November 14, 2003. He became a permanent Judge of the Bombay High Court on November 12, 2005.
During his tenure as HC judge, he presided over benches having all types of assignments at the Principal Seat at Mumbai as well as Benches at Nagpur, Aurangabad and Panaji.
Justice Gavai was elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019. He is due to retire on November 23, 2025.