India's Supreme Court associate justice, BR Gavai, named as the next Chief Justice, to be sworn in on May 14th.
Breaking News:
Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai takes the helm as the next Chief Justice of India starting May 14, 2025.
Born in Amravati, Maharashtra on November 24, 1960, this distinguished jurist climbed the legal ranks, gaining significant experience before joining the Supreme Court in May 2019. A notable Dalit justice, he becomes the second to hold this esteemed position following Justice KG Balakrishnan.
Justice Gavai's tenure will span over six months, concluding on November 23, 2025, upon reaching the age of 65. Prior to his appointment, he had served as a Judge of the Supreme Court and the senior-most Supreme Court judge after incumbent CJI Sanjiv Khanna.
His journey began in 1985, when he commenced his legal career under barrister Raja Bhonsale. Over the years, he honed his skills as an independent practitioner at the Bombay High Court.
Justice Gavai's extraordinary career includes his tenure as the Chancellor of Maharashtra National Law University, Nagpur, and Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA).
Throughout his judicial career, Justice Gavai has been involved in several path-breaking judgments, Some of his notable verdicts include upholding the legality of the demonetisation policy, validating the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, striking down the anonymous electoral bonds scheme, and supporting states' authority to create sub-categories within Scheduled Castes for targeted reservations.
A significant contribution of Justice Gavai was his involvement in the Prashant Bhushan contempt case, where he explored themes of judicial accountability and free speech.
According to the Memorandum of Procedure, the law minister writes to the CJI to recommend their successor. The senior-most judge of the apex court is typically considered fit to hold the office of the CJI, with the outgoing head of the judiciary's views considered at an appropriate time.
Sources: 1, 2, 3, 5
- The Memorandum of Procedure dictates that the law minister will write to the incumbent CJI to recommend his successor for the appointment in 2025.
- Justice Gavai's tenure as the Chancellor of Maharashtra National Law University, Nagpur, showcases his extensive involvement in policy-and-legislation and higher education.
- As the executive chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), Gavai demonstrated his commitment to exercising his power in addressing legal issues belonging to a heterogeneous society.
- In the general news, discussions surrounding politics will likely include Gavai's role as the forthcoming Chief Justice of India in 2025, given his notable verdicts and contributions to policy-and-legislation.
