NEW DELHI: Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai was sworn-in on Wednesday as the 52nd Chief Justice of India , succeeding Justice Sanjiv Khanna , to hold the highest judicial office.
The oath was administered by President Droupadi Murmu at a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi , senior ministers, and ex-CJIs.
Justice Gavai is known for his role in several major judgments in his career so far. Since becoming a Supreme Court judge in 2019, he has written around 300 judgments and been part of nearly 700 benches.
His work has covered important issues like constitutional rights , free speech, environmental protection , and checks on executive overreach.
In December 2023, he was part of a five-judge Constitution bench that unanimously upheld the Centre’s decision to revoke Article 370 , which had granted special status to the former state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Justice Gavai was also part of a five-judge Constitution bench that struck down the electoral bonds scheme for political funding.
He was part of a five-judge Constitution bench which, by a 4:1 majority, upheld the Centre’s 2016 decision to demonetise Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency notes.
A bench led by Justice Gavai stayed the Allahabad HC's remarks that suggested grabbing a woman's breasts and pulling the drawstrings of her "pyjama" did not constitute an attempt to rape, calling the observations "insensitive" and "inhuman."
Justice Gavai was part of a seven-judge Constitution bench that, by a 6:1 majority, ruled that states have the constitutional authority to create sub-categories within the Scheduled Castes for reservation purposes, recognising the group as socially diverse and allowing targeted support for the most backward among them.
In another seven-judge bench, He contributed to a ruling that upheld the validity of arbitration clauses in agreements that were unstamped or inadequately stamped, holding that such defects were curable and did not make the contract invalid.
He was also part of a five-judge Constitution bench that, in January 2023, ruled that no additional restrictions could be imposed on the fundamental right to free speech for high public officials, affirming that the Constitution already provides sufficient grounds for reasonable limitations.
Justice Gavai also delivered a landmark ruling that stopped demolitions without notice, calling for fairness and due process widely seen as a pushback against "bulldozer justice."
Known for his clear stand on upholding constitutional values, Justice Gavai recently stated that the Constitution is supreme and also made it clear he would not accept any post-retirement positions offered by the government.
He is only second Dalit to hold the highest office in judiciary, after Justice KG Balakrishnan.
In the coming months, he will face major responsibilities, including addressing the large backlog of over 81,000 cases in the Supreme Court and leading hearings on important matters such as the challenge to the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.
His appointment was recommended by Justice Khanna and officially confirmed by the government on April 29.
The oath was administered by President Droupadi Murmu at a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi , senior ministers, and ex-CJIs.
Attended the swearing in ceremony of Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India. Wishing him the very best for his tenure. pic.twitter.com/xzJhsQsRAa
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 14, 2025
Justice Gavai is known for his role in several major judgments in his career so far. Since becoming a Supreme Court judge in 2019, he has written around 300 judgments and been part of nearly 700 benches.
His work has covered important issues like constitutional rights , free speech, environmental protection , and checks on executive overreach.
In December 2023, he was part of a five-judge Constitution bench that unanimously upheld the Centre’s decision to revoke Article 370 , which had granted special status to the former state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Justice Gavai was also part of a five-judge Constitution bench that struck down the electoral bonds scheme for political funding.
He was part of a five-judge Constitution bench which, by a 4:1 majority, upheld the Centre’s 2016 decision to demonetise Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency notes.
A bench led by Justice Gavai stayed the Allahabad HC's remarks that suggested grabbing a woman's breasts and pulling the drawstrings of her "pyjama" did not constitute an attempt to rape, calling the observations "insensitive" and "inhuman."
Justice Gavai was part of a seven-judge Constitution bench that, by a 6:1 majority, ruled that states have the constitutional authority to create sub-categories within the Scheduled Castes for reservation purposes, recognising the group as socially diverse and allowing targeted support for the most backward among them.
In another seven-judge bench, He contributed to a ruling that upheld the validity of arbitration clauses in agreements that were unstamped or inadequately stamped, holding that such defects were curable and did not make the contract invalid.
He was also part of a five-judge Constitution bench that, in January 2023, ruled that no additional restrictions could be imposed on the fundamental right to free speech for high public officials, affirming that the Constitution already provides sufficient grounds for reasonable limitations.
Justice Gavai also delivered a landmark ruling that stopped demolitions without notice, calling for fairness and due process widely seen as a pushback against "bulldozer justice."
Known for his clear stand on upholding constitutional values, Justice Gavai recently stated that the Constitution is supreme and also made it clear he would not accept any post-retirement positions offered by the government.
He is only second Dalit to hold the highest office in judiciary, after Justice KG Balakrishnan.
In the coming months, he will face major responsibilities, including addressing the large backlog of over 81,000 cases in the Supreme Court and leading hearings on important matters such as the challenge to the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.
His appointment was recommended by Justice Khanna and officially confirmed by the government on April 29.
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