Justice B.R. Gavai sworn in as Chief Justice of India

Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai takes oath arsenic the 52nd Chief Justice of India during a ceremony, astatine Rashtrapati Bhavan successful New Delhi, connected May 14, 2025. | Photo Credit: PTI

Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai was sworn successful by President Droupadi Murmu arsenic the 52^nd Chief Justice of India astatine Rashtrapati Bhavan connected Wednesday (May 14, 2025).

Justice Gavai is the archetypal Buddhist Chief Justice of India. He took his oath of office, pledging his committedness to uphold the Constitution and faithfully discharge duties, successful Hindi.

Chief Justice Gavai acknowledged the applause with folded hands, shook hands with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, different dignitaries and household members sitting successful the foremost row, including his contiguous predecessor, Justice Sanjiv Khanna. The Chief Justice of India touched his mother’s feet. Prime Minister Modi was besides seen going upto the Chief Justice’s parent to greet her. The ceremonial concluded with the rendering of the National Anthem.

Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, some sitting and retired, were contiguous astatine the ceremony.

Chief Justice Gavai would beryllium heading consecutive to the Supreme Court for a cupful of beverage with his colleagues earlier they instrumentality connected the day’s load of cases listed for hearing. The CJI would proceed to stock his Bench with Justice Augustine George Masih.

The Chief Justice is expected to telephone a gathering of each the judges to sermon the roadworthy ahead, stock his imaginativeness and instrumentality suggestions. There is hardly 10 days earlier the tribunal goes into the yearly summertime recess, though it would beryllium partially moving with astatine slightest 3 Benches proceeding cases astatine a time.

Chief Justice Gavai has a tenure of implicit six months till November 23, 2025.

He was elevated arsenic a justice of the Supreme Court connected May 24, 2019 from the Bombay High Court.

Born connected November 24, 1960 astatine Amravati, Justice Gavai Khanna joined the Bar connected March 16, 1985. Justice Gavai’s father, Ramakrishna Suryabhan Gavai, besides known arsenic ‘Dadasaheb’, was a erstwhile Governor of Bihar and a salient Dalit leader.

Known arsenic a bold and decisive justice who speaks his mind, Justice Gavai was portion of galore impactful decisions astatine the Supreme Court, including the upholding of abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution and the striking down of the electoral bonds scheme.

The Judge was portion of a Constitution Bench which held that States person a close to sub-classify Scheduled Castes notified successful the Presidential List successful bid to supply them much preferential attraction successful nationalist employment and education.

Justice Gavai’s judgement successful the Manish Sisodia bail lawsuit had fortified the close to idiosyncratic liberty. He headed the Bench which had ordered the merchandise of Perarivalan, a convict successful the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

Justice Gavai practised independently successful the Bombay High Court from 1987 to 1990. After 1990, helium had practised chiefly earlier Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court.

He had practised successful Constitutional and Administrative Law, and was a Standing Counsel for Municipal Corporation of Nagpur, Amravati Municipal Corporation and Amravati University.

Justice Gavai was elevated arsenic Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court successful 2003 and became a Permanent Judge successful November 2005.

Published - May 14, 2025 10:50 americium IST