Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai was sworn in as the 52nd Chief Justice of India on Wednesday. He makes history as the first Buddhist and only the second judge from the Scheduled Castes to hold this prestigious position in the country’s judiciary. His appointment reflects the core values of equality and justice upheld by the Indian judicial system. Justice B.R. Gavai is set to serve as Chief Justice until his retirement on November 23, 2025, and his tenure will be closely observed, particularly for the legacy he builds through his rulings.

Throughout his career, Justice Gavai has been part of several important benches that delivered landmark decisions. These include condemning the use of bulldozers in certain actions and putting in place strict guidelines to prevent such practices. He also contributed to significant Constitutional Bench rulings, such as supporting the Central Government’s move to revoke Article 370, striking down the electoral bonds scheme, and endorsing the 2016 demonetisation policy.

Justice Gavai also led the bench that granted bail to AAP leader Manish Sisodia in a money laundering case, which set a precedent for others involved in the same case. He also presided over the bench that stayed Rahul Gandhi’s conviction in the defamation case related to the Modi surname and granted bail to civil rights activist Teesta Setalvad in the case related to the 2002 Godhra riots.

Early life and career

Born on November 24, 1960, in Amravati, Justice Gavai began his legal journey on March 16, 1985. He first practised independently at the Bombay High Court from 1987 to 1990, before focusing primarily on the Nagpur Bench of the court. Over the years, he represented several institutions, including the Municipal Corporations of Nagpur and Amravati, as well as Amravati University. From 1992 to 1993, Justice Gavai worked as an Assistant Government Pleader and Additional Public Prosecutor at the Nagpur Bench. In 2000, he was appointed Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor for the Nagpur Bench.

Justice Gavai was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court on November 14, 2003, and became a permanent judge on November 12, 2005. He worked on cases at the Mumbai court as well as at the Nagpur, Aurangabad, and Panaji benches.

In 2019, Justice Gavai was elevated to the Supreme Court of India on May 24. Over the last six years, he has been involved in nearly 700 bench cases, dealing with a wide range of legal matters, including constitutional law, criminal law, civil disputes, commercial issues, education, and environmental law.