Justice BR Gavai to be the next Chief Justice of India, set to take oath on May 14

Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai has been formally proposed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna as his successor. The Union Law Ministry has been asked to approve his nomination. Justice Gavai's appointment as India's 52nd Chief Justice is made possible by the recommendation. On May 14, Justice Gavai is scheduled to take the oath of office as the 52nd CJI. On May 13, CJI Khanna is scheduled to retire.

Since he is scheduled to retire in November 2025, Justice BR Gavai will serve as India's Chief Justice for approximately six months. Justice BR Gavai will be the second Dalit to serve as Chief Justice, following Justice KG Balakrishnan, who was promoted to the nation's highest court position in 2007.

Justice Gavai, a senior Supreme Court judge, has contributed to a number of historic rulings, such as the one that declared the electoral bonds program unlawful and upheld the Modi government's 2016 move to demonetize the currency. In 1985, Justice Gavai started practicing law. Before beginning his own practice in the Bombay High Court in 1987, he first worked with the late Raja S. Bhonsale, a former Advocate General and High Court Judge.