Justice Bhushan Ramakrishna Gavai was sworn in as the 52nd Chief Justice of India on Wednesday. He was sworn in by President Draupadi Murmu to Justice Gawai. Please tell that Gawai has replaced CJI Sanjeev Khanna.
Justice Gawai is the first Buddhist CJI and other CJIs from the Dalit community who are going to hold the highest judicial post of the country.
Earlier in 2007, CJI KG Balakrishnan took over. Justice Gawai has also made it clear that he will not take charge after retirement.
When asked if he would join politics like his father, Justice Gavai said, “There is no political ambition. I have decided not to take any charge or post after retirement. Any other charge is below the post of CJI, the post of Governor is also below the post of CJI.”
Justice Gawai is the son of RS Gawai, a famous politician, who was the Governor of Bihar and Kerala. He is from a family that is deeply engaged in promoting BR Ambedkar’s ideals. His father was a prominent Ambedkarite and former MP.
Born in a village in Maharashtra, Justice Gawai said that he still prefers to come to his village thrice a year, especially on the birth anniversary and death anniversary of his late father and during the annual fair to be held in the village.
Born on 24 November 1960 in Amravati, he joined the bar on 16 March 1985 and started his practice in the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court and the Bombay High Court.
He was appointed a government prosecutor and public prosecutor for the Nagpur bench on 17 January 2000. He was promoted as Additional Judge of the High Court on 14 November 2003 and became a permanent judge of the Bombay High Court on November 2005.
Justice Gawai was promoted as a judge of the Supreme Court of India on 24 May 2019.
In the last six years, he was part of about 700 benches dealing with matters related to various subjects including constitutional and administrative law, civil law, criminal law, commercial dispute, arbitration law, power law, education, environment, environment law etc.
Justice Gawai will retire on 23 November 2025.
