Justice B.R. Gavai to Succeed Justice Sanjiv Khanna as 52nd Chief Justice of India: Law Ministry Notifies [Read Notification]

The Government of India has appointed Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai as the 52nd Chief Justice of India (CJI), with effect from May 14, 2025. The announcement follows a formal notification issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice (Department of Justice, Appointments Division) and the assent of President Droupadi Murmu.

Justice Gavai will take oath the day after incumbent CJI Justice Sanjiv Khanna demits office on May 13 upon reaching the age of superannuation.

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Justice Sanjiv Khanna’s tenure as the 51st CJI, though brief, was marked by key administrative and judicial interventions. He took over the reins of the judiciary in November 2024 and has since overseen significant constitutional and institutional matters, while also having to deal with increased public scrutiny over the transparency of the judiciary following the recent debacle involving Justice Yashwant Verma.

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As per convention, Justice Khanna’s recommendation has led to the nomination of his immediate successor in Justice Gavai.

Justice Gavai, currently the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court, will assume office for a tenure of just over six months, retiring on November 23, 2025, upon attaining the age of 65. He was appointed to the apex court on May 24, 2019, after serving over 15 years as a judge of the Bombay High Court, including stints at the principal seat in Mumbai and benches in Nagpur, Aurangabad, and Panaji.

Throughout his judicial career, Justice Gavai has delivered several landmark rulings. He authored the majority opinion upholding the 2016 demonetisation scheme, participated in the Constitution Bench verdict endorsing the abrogation of Article 370, and was part of the majority that invalidated the electoral bonds scheme.

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Justice Gavai has also delivered a crucial ruling against arbitrary property demolitions and contributed to the historic judgment allowing sub-classification within Scheduled Castes for targeted reservation.

An accomplished jurist, Justice Gavai has authored nearly 300 judgments across domains including civil, criminal, constitutional, and environmental law. He has also represented India at global legal forums and delivered lectures at prestigious institutions like Harvard and Columbia University.

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Being only the second CJI to hail from the Scheduled Caste community, with Justice K.G. Balakrishnan being the first, the nation can hope that the appointment shall mark a continued commitment towards increased representation in the higher judiciary, a factor noted by the Supreme Court Collegium during his elevation.

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