Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna has formally recommended Justice BR Gavai as the next Chief Justice of India to the Union Law Ministry. Justice Gavai will be the 52nd CJI and the second from the Dalit community, following in the footsteps of Justice KG Balakrishnan, who served as CJI until 2010.
CJI Khanna, who is set to retire on May 13, 2025, took office in November 2024 after Justice DY Chandrachud’s retirement. His tenure has been brief, spanning just over six months. Similarly, Justice Gavai’s term will be relatively short, ending on November 23, 2025.
Justice Gavai has had a long and distinguished judicial career. He began as an additional judge at the Bombay High Court in 2003, later becoming a permanent judge in 2005. His service extended across various benches, including in Mumbai, Nagpur, Aurangabad, and Panaji. In 2019, he was elevated to the Supreme Court.
