Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai was sworn in as the 52nd Chief Justice of India on May 14, 2025, in a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, administered by President Droupadi Murmu. His appointment marks a historic milestone, as he is the first Buddhist and only the second Dalit to hold this esteemed position, following Justice K.G. Balakrishnan who retired in 2010.
Born on November 24, 1960, in Amravati, Maharashtra, Justice Gavai began his legal career in 1985. He served as a judge of the Bombay High Court from 2003 and was elevated to the Supreme Court in 2019. Throughout his tenure, he has been involved in several landmark judgments, including those related to the abrogation of Article 370 and the demonetization verdict.
Justice Gavai’s term as Chief Justice is set to last until his retirement on November 23, 2025.
With this new development the composition of the Supreme Court collegium, which is responsible for appointment of Supreme Court and High Court Judges and transfer of High Court Judges, has also undergone change.
Now following is the composition of Supreme Court Collegium:
- CJI B R Gavai
- Justice Suryakant
- Justice A.S. Oka (Retiring on 24-05-2025)
- Justice Vikram Nath
Usually CJI and next two senior most judges form the collegium, but due to the retirement of Justice A.S Oka which is due in just 10 days, the CJI in line Justice Vikram Nath has been added to the collegium also.
