Justice BR Gavai to be sworn in as Chief Justice of India on May 14

Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai will be sworn in as the 52nd Chief Justice of India on May 14, 2025.

The announcement was made by Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on social media platform X, stating that the appointment was carried out under the constitutional authority of India.

Justice Gavai, who is currently serving on the Supreme Court bench, will officially take over the role on May 14, 2025.

Earlier, on April 20, 2025, Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna recommended Justice Gavai as his successor and submitted the nomination to the Ministry of Law as part of the formal selection process.

At present, Justice Gavai is the second most senior judge in the Supreme Court, ranking immediately after Chief Justice Khanna.

He will take over the position on May 14, following Justice Khanna’s retirement on May 13.

The oath of office will be administered by President Droupadi Murmu.

Justice Gavai is expected to serve as Chief Justice for about six months, with his tenure ending upon his retirement in November 2025.

About Justice BR Gavai

Justice BR Gavai was born on November 24, 1960, in Amravati, and began his legal career on March 16, 1985.

He initially worked with the late Raja S. Bhonsale, former Advocate General and High Court Judge until 1987. He then practiced independently at the Bombay High Court from 1987 to 1990, before primarily shifting his practice to the Nagpur Bench.

Specializing in Constitutional and Administrative Law, Justice Gavai also served as Standing Counsel for municipal bodies like the Nagpur and Amravati Municipal Corporations and Amravati University.

He frequently represented various autonomous institutions and corporations, including SICOM and DCVL, as well as numerous municipal councils in the Vidarbha region.

From August 1992 to July 1993, he served as Assistant Government Pleader and Additional Public Prosecutor at the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court. He was later appointed Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor on January 17, 2000.

Justice Gavai was elevated to the position of Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court on November 14, 2003, and became a permanent Judge on November 12, 2005. He presided over various benches in Mumbai, Nagpur, Aurangabad, and Panaji, handling a wide range of cases. He was appointed to the Supreme Court of India on May 24, 2019, and is scheduled to retire on November 23, 2025.