Justice B.R. Gavai sworn in as 52nd CJI by president

Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai was sworn in as the 52nd Chief Justice of India (CJI) on Wednesday in a formal ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The oath of office was administered by President Droupadi Murmu, marking a significant moment in the history of India’s judiciary.

“Shri Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan,” posted the official handle of the President of India, confirming the appointment.

Justice Gavai succeeds Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who demitted office on May 13. His appointment follows the longstanding convention of seniority in the judiciary, with the outgoing CJI recommending the name of the senior-most judge to the President through the Union government.

Born in Amravati, Maharashtra in 1960, Justice Gavai is only the second person from the Scheduled Caste community to become Chief Justice of India, following Justice K.G. Balakrishnan (2007–2010). His rise to the top judicial post comes after nearly four decades of legal service, beginning with his practice at the Bombay High Court’s Nagpur Bench in 1985.

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Justice Gavai brings with him a wealth of experience, having served in multiple capacities — from government pleader and public prosecutor to judge of the Bombay High Court and later as a Supreme Court judge since May 2019. He has been involved in several landmark decisions, including the Supreme Court’s upholding of the abrogation of Article 370, the striking down of the electoral bonds scheme, and the majority ruling on the legality of the 2016 demonetisation.

His judicial record also includes significant contributions in environmental cases, reservation policy interpretation, and procedural safeguards against unlawful demolitions.

Justice Gavai will serve as CJI for a little over six months, retiring on November 23, 2025. Despite the brevity of his tenure, he is expected to preside over major constitutional benches and pending matters of national importance related to governance, transparency, and environmental conservation.

His appointment is being seen as a moment of historic and symbolic significance, underlining the importance of social inclusion at the highest levels of the judiciary.