The President of India has appointed Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai, a senior Judge of the Supreme Court, as the next Chief Justice of India. The appointment, notified by the Ministry of Law and Justice, will come into effect from 14th May 2025.
Justice Gavai will become the 52nd Chief Justice of India, succeeding Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna. His term as the head of the Indian judiciary will be relatively short, concluding with his retirement on 23rd November 2025.
A Distinguished Judicial Journey
Born on 24th November 1960 in Amravati, Maharashtra, Justice Gavai embarked on his legal career on 16th March 1985. He initially worked with late Shri Raja S. Bhonsale, former Advocate General and Judge of the Bombay High Court, before beginning independent practice at the Bombay High Court in 1987. He later focused his practice primarily at the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court.
Specialising in Constitutional and Administrative Law, he represented key institutions including the Municipal Corporations of Nagpur and Amravati, Amravati University, and other public sector undertakings such as SICOM and DCVL. He also served as Assistant Government Pleader and Additional Public Prosecutor from 1992 to 1993, and was later appointed Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor for the Nagpur Bench on 17th January 2000.
Justice Gavai was elevated as an Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court on 14th November 2003 and became a permanent judge on 12th November 2005. During his tenure, he presided over benches at Mumbai, Nagpur, Aurangabad, and Panaji, handling a diverse range of judicial responsibilities.
He was elevated to the Supreme Court of India on 24th May 2019. In the past six years on the apex court bench, he has been part of over 700 benches dealing with a wide array of legal domains including constitutional and administrative law, civil and criminal law, commercial disputes, arbitration, environmental matters, education, and electricity laws.
Justice Gavai has authored nearly 300 judgments, including several Constitution Bench verdicts. His rulings have reinforced the rule of law and protected the fundamental, human, and legal rights of citizens.
Global Engagement and Academic Contributions
Justice Gavai has represented India at various international legal forums in Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia), New York (USA), Cardiff (UK), and Nairobi (Kenya). He has also delivered lectures at premier global institutions such as Columbia University and Harvard University, particularly on issues related to constitutional and environmental law.
The notification was issued by the Department of Justice (Appointments Division) under Article 124(2) of the Constitution and signed by R.K. Goyal, Secretary to the Government of India.
