BR Gavai takes oath as CJI—first Buddhist to assume role
14 May 2025

Justice BR Gavai took oath as the 52nd Chief Justice of India on Wednesday, replacing Justice Sanjiv Khanna. He is the first Buddhist in the role.

Coming from the Dalit community, he will be the 52nd CJI for a six-month term, till his retirement in November 2025.

Since its establishment in 1950, only seven judges from Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes have been on the Supreme Court bench.

Gavai's journey from law to judiciary
Career path

Justice Gavai was born on November 24, 1960, in Amravati, Maharashtra. He completed his BCom and then took up law at Amravati University.

Though he wanted to become an architect, he opted for the legal profession to realize his father's dream.

His father was Ramakrishna Suryabhan Gavai, a powerful Ambedkarite leader and founder of the Republican Party of India.

Gavai's father and his political legacy
Legacy

Ramakrishna was a Lok Sabha MP from Amravati and served as Bihar, Sikkim, and Kerala Governor from 2006 to 2011 during the Congress-led UPA's rule at the Centre.

He died in 2015, four years before his son became a Supreme Court judge.

Justice BR Gavai started off his career in law by joining the Bar on March 16, 1985.

Gavai's judicial career and significant rulings
Judicial journey

Justice Gavai practiced independently at the Bombay HC from 1987 to 1990 before becoming a Permanent Judge of the Bombay HC on November 12, 2005.

He was elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court of India on May 24, 2019.

During his tenure at the SC, he has been part of approximately 700 Benches dealing with various laws, including constitutional and administrative law, civil law, criminal law, etc.

Gavai's landmark judgments and political cases
Notable rulings

Justice Gavai has written about 300 judgments, including Constitution Bench Judgments on a variety of issues.

He is known for his decisions in high-stakes political cases, usually providing relief to the litigant versus the state.

Some of his notable judgments include procedural safeguards against arbitrary arrests under strict laws like the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).