President Murmu Appoints BR Gavai As Next Chief Justice Of India, Second Dalit To Hold Post

Justice BR Gavai, who is set to succeed Justice Sanjiv Khanna, will take over as the 52nd Chief Justice of India on May 14. He will retire on November 23, 2025.

File photo of Supreme Court Judge BR Gavai.

Source : PTI

President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday appointed Justice Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai as the next Chief Justice of India with effect from May 14, 2025.

"In exercise of the powers conferred by the Constitution of India is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai, Judge of the Supreme Court of India as the Chief Justice of India with effect from 14th May, 2025," Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said in a post on X.

In exercise of the powers conferred by the Constitution of India is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai, Judge of the Supreme Court of India as the Chief Justice of India with effect from 14th May, 2025.

— Arjun Ram Meghwal (@arjunrammeghwal) April 29, 2025

Justice BR Gavai, who is set to succeed Justice Sanjiv Khanna, will take over as the 52nd Chief Justice of India on May 14. Earlier, CJI Sanjiv Khanna had recommended Justice Gavai's name to the Union Law Ministry as he is due to retire on May 13.

Gavai, who was ppointed to the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019, will retire as the Chief Justice on November 23, 2025.

Who Is Justice Gavai?

Born in November 1960 in Amravati in Maharashtra, Justice Gavai began his legal career in March 1985. He initially worked with the late barrister Raja S. Bhonsale, a former Advocate General and High Court judge, until 1987.

Throughout his legal career, Justice Gavai served as standing counsel for the municipal corporations of Nagpur and Amravati, as well as for Amravati University. He also represented local bodies and councils across the Vidarbha region.

Justice Gavai was elevated as an Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court on November 14,  2003, and was confirmed as a permanent judge on November 12, 2005. During his tenure, he presided over cases at multiple benches, including Mumbai, Nagpur, Aurangabad, and Panaji.

Justice Gavai is set to become the second CJI belonging to the Scheduled Caste community after Justice KG Balakrishnan retired as the CJI in 2010.