Justice BR Gavai Next CJI of India as Successor to Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna

On April 16, 2025, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna named Justice B R Gavai, the second-most senior judge of the Supreme Court, as his successor. This announcement was made through a letter to the Union Law Ministry, and after government approval, Justice Gavai is set to become the 52nd CJI of India. Justice Gavai, who was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2019, will take office as CJI after the retirement of CJI Khanna on May 13, 2025. Justice Gavai’s legal journey spans decades, with significant contributions to Indian jurisprudence, particularly in constitutional and administrative law.

Career Overview of Justice B R Gavai

Background and Early Career

• Born in Amravati, Maharashtra, Justice Gavai began his legal career by joining the Bar in 1985.
• Initially, he worked under Raja S Bhonsale, a former Advocate General and Judge of the Bombay High Court, until 1987.
• He practiced primarily before the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court, focusing on constitutional and administrative law.

Government Roles

• Appointed as Assistant Government Pleader and Additional Public Prosecutor for the Nagpur Bench in 1992-93.
• Later promoted to Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor from 2000 onwards.

Judicial Career

• Elevated to Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court in November 2003.
• Became a permanent judge of the Bombay High Court in November 2005.
• Appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court in May 2019.

Key Judicial Contributions of Justice BR Gavai

• Justice Gavai has been involved in several landmark rulings, which have had significant implications on India’s legal and constitutional landscape. Some of his notable contributions include,

Demonetization Verdict (January 2023)

• Justice Gavai was part of the majority verdict that upheld the Government of India’s decision to demonetize Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes in 2016.
• Sub-Categorization of Scheduled Castes and Tribes (August 2024):
• In the landmark case concerning the sub-categorization of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), Justice Gavai advocated for applying the “creamy layer” principle to these communities. This would ensure that only those truly in need benefit from affirmative action.

Abrogation of Article 370 (2019)

• As part of a five-judge bench, Justice Gavai upheld the Centre’s decision to revoke Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Critique of Bulldozer Demolitions (November 2024)

• In a two-judge bench, Justice Gavai criticized the use of bulldozers to demolish properties of crime suspects, asserting that such demolitions without due process violated the rule of law.