President Murmu appoints BR Gavai as Chief Justice of India with effect from May 14

President Droupadi Murmu approved Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai as the 52nd Chief Justice of India. Justice BR Gavai is set to take the oath of office on May 14, 2025.

Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal shared the announcement on the social media platform X, stating 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, will assume his new role effective May 14, 2025.

Justice Gavai was born on November 24, 1960, in Amravati, Maharashtra. His father, the late RS Gavai, was a former Governor of Bihar and Kerala and a respected social activist. Justice Gavai pursued law from Government Law College, Mumbai, and began his legal career in 1985.

He initially worked with Advocate General Raja S. Bhonsale before starting independent practice at the Bombay High Court in 1987. He was appointed Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court on November 14, 2003, and became a Permanent Judge on November 12, 2005. After more than 15 years in the high court, he was elevated to the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019.

Justice Gavai will become only the second Chief Justice of India from a Scheduled Caste community, following Justice KG Balakrishnan, who held the position from 2007 to 2010.

How Chief Justices are chosen

The appointment of the Chief Justice of India is guided by seniority, a well-established convention where the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court is appointed as CJI. The outgoing CJI formally recommends the next most senior judge to the government. This recommendation is then approved by the President of India, who issues the warrant of appointment.

Justice Sanjiv Khanna, the current CJI, followed this convention by recommending Justice Gavai, the next senior-most judge in the apex court.

Notable Judgments

Throughout his judicial career, Justice Gavai has been part of several landmark judgments. He was a member of the five-judge Constitution Bench that upheld the abrogation of Article 370, thereby revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. In another significant ruling, he concurred with the majority opinion that upheld the constitutional validity of the central government's 2016 demonetisation decision .​

Justice Gavai also played a role in the Supreme Court's decision to strike down the Electoral Bonds Scheme, addressing concerns about transparency in political funding. Additionally, he authored a judgment declaring that demolishing properties of accused individuals without due process is unconstitutional, emphasising that executive authorities cannot act as judges and execute demolitions without legal procedures.

Justice Gavai’s appointment is historically significant and symbolically powerful for inclusive representation in India’s judiciary. His experience, integrity, and judgments over the years reflect his deep commitment to constitutional values and judicial independence.

He will take over the helm of the judiciary at a crucial time, though for a short term, and will oversee key constitutional and administrative matters during his six-month tenure.