Who Is Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai? Next CJI Recommended By Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna

The Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna, has recommended Justice B R Gavai as his successor to the Union Law Ministry. Justice Khanna took over as CJI on November 11, following the retirement of D Y Chandrachud on November 10. Justice Khanna's tenure is set to end on May 13, 2025, due to the retirement age for Supreme Court judges being 65 years.

Who Is Justice Gavai?

Justice B R Gavai was born in Amravati on November 24, 1960. He began his judicial career as an additional judge at the Bombay High Court on November 14, 2003. By November 12, 2005, he had become a permanent judge there. His contributions have been significant in various Constitution benches of the Supreme Court.

Justice Gavai's Landmark Judgments

Justice Gavai has been involved in several landmark decisions. In December 2023, he was part of a five-judge bench that upheld the Centre's decision to revoke Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Another notable case saw him part of a bench that annulled the electoral bonds scheme for political funding.

In another significant ruling, Justice Gavai was part of a bench that approved the Centre's demonetisation move in 2016 by a majority verdict of 4:1. Additionally, he participated in a seven-judge bench decision allowing states to make sub-classifications within Scheduled Castes for reservations.

Guidelines and Environmental Matters

A bench led by Justice Gavai established guidelines stating no property should be demolished without prior notice and affected parties must have 15 days to respond. He also heads a bench addressing issues related to forests, wildlife, and tree protection.

Justice Gavai joined the bar on March 16, 1985. He served as standing counsel for Nagpur Municipal Corporation and other local bodies. From August 1992 to July 1993, he was an assistant government pleader and additional public prosecutor at the Bombay High Court's Nagpur bench.

CJI Appointment Process

The process for appointing the Chief Justice of India involves the law minister writing to the current CJI for naming their successor. The senior-most judge is typically considered suitable for this role after consulting with the outgoing judiciary head at an appropriate time.

Justice Gavai later became a government pleader and public prosecutor for the Nagpur bench on January 17, 2000. His extensive experience and involvement in key cases highlight his suitability for becoming India's next Chief Justice.