New Delhi, April 16, 2025 – Supreme Court Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai has been recommended as India’s next Chief Justice by outgoing CJI Sanjiv Khanna, with his oath set for May 14, 2025. Gavai, 64, will be the 52nd CJI and the second Dalit to hold the post after Justice KG Balakrishnan, serving until November 23, 2025, per Hindustan Times. The Union government is expected to greenlight the pick soon, sources told News18.
Gavai, a 2003 Bombay High Court appointee, joined the Supreme Court in 2019, earning praise for his constitutional clarity and social justice focus (India Today). “The Constitution’s my guide—Ambedkar’s vision lives,” he said at an April 14 Ambedkar Jayanti event, lauding India’s progress with a PM from humble roots (Bar and Bench). His recent rulings—like slamming Allahabad HC’s “insensitive” rape remarks—show his spine (Hindustan Times). X buzzes with pride—“Gavai’s rise is India’s story!”—though some flag his short tenure: “Six months enough?” (post:1).
Born in Nagpur, Gavai’s journey from a lawyer’s son to CJI mirrors Ambedkar’s grit—his NALSA role pushed legal aid to Manipur’s margins (Hindustan Times). With 33 SC judges, his collegium will shape high court picks amid 2.1 lakh pending cases (NJA, 2024) (The Indian Express). BJP’s Arjun Ram Meghwal hailed him, but Congress’s Jairam Ramesh urged judicial diversity (The Hindu). Posts on X note 2025’s rare three CJIs—Khanna, Gavai, next in line (post:5).
For India, it’s a beacon—Gavai’s gavel carries hope. Will his term redefine justice, or race against time?
