Justice B.R. Gavai Sworn In as 52nd Chief Justice of India

Kiran Raj

Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai was sworn in as the 52nd Chief Justice of India (CJI) on Tuesday, succeeding Justice Sanjiv Khanna. The swearing-in ceremony was held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office.

Justice Gavai will serve a term of just over six months, with his tenure set to conclude on November 23, 2025. The event was attended by a host of dignitaries, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, JP Nadda, S. Jaishankar, Piyush Goyal, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, former CJI Sanjiv Khanna, and former President Ram Nath Kovind.

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Also present were several judges of the Supreme Court, including Justices Surya Kant, A.G. Masih, P.S. Narasimha, B.V. Nagarathna, and Bela Trivedi.

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Justice Gavai's appointment marks a significant moment in the judiciary’s history. He becomes the second Chief Justice of India from the Scheduled Caste community, following Justice K.G. Balakrishnan who served until 2010. Additionally, he is the first Buddhist judge to assume the role of CJI.

He was elevated to the Supreme Court from the Bombay High Court on May 24, 2019.