On April 16, 2025, Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna formally suggested Justice B.R. Gavai’s name as his successor in a letter to the Union Law Ministry. Upon government approval, Justice Gavai will assume the position of the 52nd Chief Justice of India and serve until November 23, 2025, when he is due for retirement. The stage is set for him to take the oath on May 14, 2025. Following the news making headlines nationwide, many wonder, ‘Who is B R Gavai?’ This article covers everything you need to know about the 52nd Chief Justice of India.
All about Justice B R Gavai
Justice B R Gavai was born on November 24, 1960, and is currently 64 years old. He was born in Amravati, Maharashtra. He will take the oath as the 52nd Chief Justice of India on the 14th and serve until November 23, 2025, as he is due for retirement (the retirement age for Supreme Court judges is 65).
He started his legal journey on March 16, 1985. He collaborated with the late Bar. Raja S. Bhonsale (an ex-Advocate General and High Court Judge) until 1987.
He practiced independently at the Bombay High Court from 1987 to 1990. Thereafter, he also practised at the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court.
He specializes in Constitutional and Administrative Law. Therefore, he worked as a Standing Counsel for numerous institutions, including the Municipal Corporation of Nagpur, Amravati Municipal Corporation, and Amravati University.
From August 1992 to July 1993, he also acted as Assistant Government Pleader and Additional Public Prosecutor at the Bombay High Court's Nagpur Bench.
Justice B. R. Gavai frequently represented several autonomous organizations like SICOM, DCVL, and numerous municipal councils throughout the Vidarbha region.
He was appointed Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor for the Nagpur Bench on January 17, 2000.
On November 14, 2003, he was promoted to Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court.
On November 12, 2005, he was appointed as a permanent Bombay High Court Judge.
He began serving as a Supreme Court Judge on May 24, 2019.
In his extensive career, Gavai has dealt with a broad range of cases at the Principal Bench in Mumbai, Nagpur, Aurangabad, and Panaji.