<p>New Delhi: Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai is set to assume office as the 52nd Chief Justice of India on May 14. His appointment, which comes after the superannuation of outgoing the CJI, Sanjiv Khanna, on May 13, is seen as a remarkable milestone in the history of the Supreme Court: He is only the second person from the Schedule Castes community to reach the top position in judiciary after former CJI K G Balakrishnan.</p>.<p>Justice Gavai is known as a hands-on judge, with an extraordinary grasping power. During the court proceedings, he is seen patiently hearing the counsels of petitioners but is never found hesitating to speak his mind. He is also popular among judges for his sense of humour. A food connoisseur, he often visits the Maharashtra Sadan here to enjoy Marathi food.</p>.<p>Justice Gavai is son of R S Gavai, a noted politician, who was the governor of multiple states. He belongs to a family deeply engaged in promoting the ideals of B R Ambedkar. His father was a prominent Ambedkarite and a former Member of Parliament.</p>.<p>Born on November 24, 1960, at Amravati, Justice Gavai joined the Bar on March 16, 1985, after completing his BA LLB degree from Nagpur University.</p>.<p>A brief stint with late Barrister Raja S Bhonsale, a former Advocate General of Maharashtra and judge of the Bombay High Court, till 1987, laid the foundation for his legal career.</p>.<p>He practised independently at Bombay High Court from 1987 to 1990. After 1990, he practised mainly before the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court in Constitutional Law and Administrative Law. </p>.<p>Justice Gavai was elevated as an Additional Judge of the high court on November 14, 2003. He became a permanent judge of the high court on November 12, 2005.</p>.<p>During his tenure as HC judge, Justice Gavai presided over benches having all types of assignments at the Principal Seat at Mumbai as well as Benches at Nagpur, Aurangabad and Panaji.</p>.<p>He was elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019 and is due to retire on November 23, 2025.</p>.<p>Justice Gavai has been part of several constitutional bench decisions, including on demonetisation, Article 370, Electoral Bond Scheme and Sub Classification within SC/ST, wherein he strongly advocated for introducing creamy layer among the SC/STs.</p>.<p>Solicitor General Tushar Mehta calls Justice Gavai as an unassuming, unpretentious and down-to-earth judge.</p>.<p>“He brings with him intellect and innocence together. His perspicacity stems from his deep understanding of human problems faced by the citizens. Justice Gavai has always exhibited freshness of our domestic and rich jurisprudence unpolluted with utopian Western ideas. He has always been known as a judge with courage, conviction, rectitude and uprightness blended with human emotions, sound legal knowledge and rare intellectual integrity,” says Mehta.</p>.<p><strong>‘Formidable pillar’</strong></p>.<p>President SC Advocate on Record Association Vipin Nair says Justice Gavai’s Supreme Court tenure so far has been marked by bold decisions. Whether dismantling the controversial “bulldozer culture” or steadfastly upholding the rights of the underrepresented, he has emerged as a formidable pillar of judicial fortitude. In his landmark decision affirming the States’ authority to sub-classify Scheduled Castes, he judiciously observed the pressing need to reconsider the inclusion of the ‘creamy layer’ within SC/ST reservation benefits, a nuanced stance with far-reaching implications.</p>.<p>He also provided relief to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case. Justice Gavai was also a member of the bench which held advocate Prashant Bhushan guilty in a contempt case and imposed upon him a fine of one rupee. </p>.<p>Legal experts feel Justice Gavai’s proclivity showed his steadfast commitment towards constitutional ideals, social justice and the rule of law.</p>.CJI Khanna stresses on crisper petitions, says huge effort needed to master 'art of drafting'.<p><strong>Constitution as ‘Bhimsmriti’</strong></p>.<p>“In Justice Gavai, the CJI-designate, we see a testament to inherited values. Justice Gavai carries forward the legacy of his father, a staunch follower of Babasaheb Ambedkar. The biggest motivating factor for Justice Gavai to accept judicial office was his father’s call, who reminded him that this is the path to give wings to Ambedkar’s dreams,” says Nair.</p>.<p>Renowned for his commanding presence in the courtroom, Justice Gavai conducts proceedings with a firm hand with regular encouragement to junior counsel. </p>.<p>He does not hesitate when decorum is breached even by the most decorated doyens of the Bar. A stern remark such as, “Then you pass the order,” often suffices to restore order and civility, underscoring his no-nonsense approach in dispensing justice, lawyers say.</p>.<p>Perhaps one of the most defining testaments to his dedication came on a fateful Saturday night in July 2023, when he rushed straight from a cultural programme to the Supreme Court to shield an activist (Teesta Setalvad) from imminent arrest. Such moments exemplify the extraordinary lengths to which he goes to uphold the rule of law, points out another lawyer.</p>.<p>Justice Gavai has often emphasised that trust in the judiciary is truly the bedrock of our democracy, and that it must be made accessible to all stakeholders and the helpless litigant who is at the bottom of the pyramid. Notably, he headed a delegation of judges who visited camps at Manipur to provide healing touch to the strife-affected people.</p>.<p>“Inspired deeply by the principles that Babasaheb Ambedkar stands for, Justice Gavai has often referred to the Constitution as Bhimsmriti — a powerful recognition of its emancipatory spirit. As he assumes the office of Chief Justice of India, we are confident that under his leadership, the Constitution’s values will not only be safeguarded’, but the Indian judiciary would scale even greater heights under his dynamic leadership,” says Nair.</p>.<p>Mehta feels Justice Gavai’s tenure in the Supreme Court, both as a judge and as the CJI, will leave an everlasting imprint in shaping the nation.</p>
<p>New Delhi: Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai is set to assume office as the 52nd Chief Justice of India on May 14. His appointment, which comes after the superannuation of outgoing the CJI, Sanjiv Khanna, on May 13, is seen as a remarkable milestone in the history of the Supreme Court: He is only the second person from the Schedule Castes community to reach the top position in judiciary after former CJI K G Balakrishnan.</p>.<p>Justice Gavai is known as a hands-on judge, with an extraordinary grasping power. During the court proceedings, he is seen patiently hearing the counsels of petitioners but is never found hesitating to speak his mind. He is also popular among judges for his sense of humour. A food connoisseur, he often visits the Maharashtra Sadan here to enjoy Marathi food.</p>.<p>Justice Gavai is son of R S Gavai, a noted politician, who was the governor of multiple states. He belongs to a family deeply engaged in promoting the ideals of B R Ambedkar. His father was a prominent Ambedkarite and a former Member of Parliament.</p>.<p>Born on November 24, 1960, at Amravati, Justice Gavai joined the Bar on March 16, 1985, after completing his BA LLB degree from Nagpur University.</p>.<p>A brief stint with late Barrister Raja S Bhonsale, a former Advocate General of Maharashtra and judge of the Bombay High Court, till 1987, laid the foundation for his legal career.</p>.<p>He practised independently at Bombay High Court from 1987 to 1990. After 1990, he practised mainly before the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court in Constitutional Law and Administrative Law. </p>.<p>Justice Gavai was elevated as an Additional Judge of the high court on November 14, 2003. He became a permanent judge of the high court on November 12, 2005.</p>.<p>During his tenure as HC judge, Justice Gavai presided over benches having all types of assignments at the Principal Seat at Mumbai as well as Benches at Nagpur, Aurangabad and Panaji.</p>.<p>He was elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019 and is due to retire on November 23, 2025.</p>.<p>Justice Gavai has been part of several constitutional bench decisions, including on demonetisation, Article 370, Electoral Bond Scheme and Sub Classification within SC/ST, wherein he strongly advocated for introducing creamy layer among the SC/STs.</p>.<p>Solicitor General Tushar Mehta calls Justice Gavai as an unassuming, unpretentious and down-to-earth judge.</p>.<p>“He brings with him intellect and innocence together. His perspicacity stems from his deep understanding of human problems faced by the citizens. Justice Gavai has always exhibited freshness of our domestic and rich jurisprudence unpolluted with utopian Western ideas. He has always been known as a judge with courage, conviction, rectitude and uprightness blended with human emotions, sound legal knowledge and rare intellectual integrity,” says Mehta.</p>.<p><strong>‘Formidable pillar’</strong></p>.<p>President SC Advocate on Record Association Vipin Nair says Justice Gavai’s Supreme Court tenure so far has been marked by bold decisions. Whether dismantling the controversial “bulldozer culture” or steadfastly upholding the rights of the underrepresented, he has emerged as a formidable pillar of judicial fortitude. In his landmark decision affirming the States’ authority to sub-classify Scheduled Castes, he judiciously observed the pressing need to reconsider the inclusion of the ‘creamy layer’ within SC/ST reservation benefits, a nuanced stance with far-reaching implications.</p>.<p>He also provided relief to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case. Justice Gavai was also a member of the bench which held advocate Prashant Bhushan guilty in a contempt case and imposed upon him a fine of one rupee. </p>.<p>Legal experts feel Justice Gavai’s proclivity showed his steadfast commitment towards constitutional ideals, social justice and the rule of law.</p>.CJI Khanna stresses on crisper petitions, says huge effort needed to master 'art of drafting'.<p><strong>Constitution as ‘Bhimsmriti’</strong></p>.<p>“In Justice Gavai, the CJI-designate, we see a testament to inherited values. Justice Gavai carries forward the legacy of his father, a staunch follower of Babasaheb Ambedkar. The biggest motivating factor for Justice Gavai to accept judicial office was his father’s call, who reminded him that this is the path to give wings to Ambedkar’s dreams,” says Nair.</p>.<p>Renowned for his commanding presence in the courtroom, Justice Gavai conducts proceedings with a firm hand with regular encouragement to junior counsel. </p>.<p>He does not hesitate when decorum is breached even by the most decorated doyens of the Bar. A stern remark such as, “Then you pass the order,” often suffices to restore order and civility, underscoring his no-nonsense approach in dispensing justice, lawyers say.</p>.<p>Perhaps one of the most defining testaments to his dedication came on a fateful Saturday night in July 2023, when he rushed straight from a cultural programme to the Supreme Court to shield an activist (Teesta Setalvad) from imminent arrest. Such moments exemplify the extraordinary lengths to which he goes to uphold the rule of law, points out another lawyer.</p>.<p>Justice Gavai has often emphasised that trust in the judiciary is truly the bedrock of our democracy, and that it must be made accessible to all stakeholders and the helpless litigant who is at the bottom of the pyramid. Notably, he headed a delegation of judges who visited camps at Manipur to provide healing touch to the strife-affected people.</p>.<p>“Inspired deeply by the principles that Babasaheb Ambedkar stands for, Justice Gavai has often referred to the Constitution as Bhimsmriti — a powerful recognition of its emancipatory spirit. As he assumes the office of Chief Justice of India, we are confident that under his leadership, the Constitution’s values will not only be safeguarded’, but the Indian judiciary would scale even greater heights under his dynamic leadership,” says Nair.</p>.<p>Mehta feels Justice Gavai’s tenure in the Supreme Court, both as a judge and as the CJI, will leave an everlasting imprint in shaping the nation.</p>
