Justice B R Gavai sworn in as 52nd Chief Justice of India

THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

NEW DELHI, MAY 14, 2025 

In a momentous ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office to Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai, who was formally sworn in as the 52nd Chief Justice of India (CJI) on Wednesday. The swearing-in marks a historic milestone in India’s judicial landscape, as Justice Gavai assumes leadership of the nation’s apex court with a tenure set to conclude on November 23, 2025.

The appointment of Justice Gavai was notified by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice on April 29, following a recommendation by then Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna. The notification read, “In exercise of the powers conferred by Clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai, Judge of the Supreme Court, to be the Chief Justice of India with effect from 14th May, 2025.”

Justice Gavai’s elevation to the top judicial post comes after an illustrious legal and judicial career marked by dedication to constitutional values, legal scholarship, and the protection of fundamental rights. Elevated to the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019, Justice Gavai has served on approximately 700 benches over the past six years. His judicial work spans a wide spectrum of law, including constitutional and administrative law, civil and criminal law, commercial disputes, arbitration, environmental law, education, and electricity regulation.

A prolific jurist, Justice Gavai has authored nearly 300 judgments. Notably, his contributions include landmark Constitution Bench verdicts that have reinforced the rule of law and upheld the legal and human rights of citizens. His judgments have been widely lauded for their clarity, reasoning, and commitment to justice.

Justice Gavai began his judicial journey when he was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court in November 2003, later becoming a permanent Judge in November 2005. Prior to his elevation to the Bench, he had an extensive practice in constitutional and administrative law. He also served as Standing Counsel for the Municipal Corporations of Nagpur and Amravati, as well as Amravati University.

In his early legal career, Justice Gavai held key government legal positions. He was appointed Assistant Government Pleader and Additional Public Prosecutor in the Bombay High Court at the Nagpur Bench in 1992, and later as Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor for the same Bench in 2000.