Justice Gavai to Be India's 52nd CJI, cementing legacy of Nagpur & Vidarbha

Nagpur: Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai, a jurist whose career was nurtured in the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court, will be sworn in as the 52nd Chief Justice of India (CJI) on May 14. His elevation marks a moment of exceptional significance for both the judiciary and Vidarbha region, which he represents with quiet distinction. Following in the footsteps of Justices Mohammed Hidayatullah and Sharad Bobde, he will become the third jurist from Nagpur to occupy the top judicial office and only the second Dalit to serve as the CJI after Justice KG Balakrishnan.

Current CJI Sanjiv Khanna recommended Justice Gavai's name to the Union law ministry as per convention of seniority-based succession. Though his term will last just over six months — he retires in November 2025 — it is symbolically powerful, not just for the Dalit community, but for judicial inclusivity as well.

Born on November 24, 1960, in Amravati, Gavai began his legal career in 1985 under the mentorship of Barrister Raja Bhonsale. While practising at the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court, he developed a reputation for proficiency in constitutional and administrative law. In 1992, he was appointed as assistant govt pleader for nearly a year till July 1992. He was later appointed govt pleader and public prosecutor in 2000. His judicial journey formally began in 2003, when he was appointed additional judge of Bombay High Court and confirmed as a permanent judge in 2005. He was elevated to the Supreme Court in 2019.

His legacy on the bench includes some of the most consequential verdicts of recent times. He was part of the five-judge bench that upheld the abrogation of Article 370 and the Centre's 2016 demonetisation move. He also participated in landmark rulings that struck down the controversial electoral bonds scheme and affirmed the constitutional right of states to sub-categorise Scheduled Castes for targeted reservation. In another significant decision, he supported the enforceability of arbitration clauses in unstamped contracts and headed a bench that laid down pan-India guidelines ensuring no demolition occurs without proper notice.

During his tenure at the Nagpur bench as a lawyer, Justice Gavai practised in constitutional and administrative law. He was also the Standing Counsel for Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), Amravati Municipal Corporation (AMC), and Amravati University. He appeared regularly for various autonomous bodies and corporations like SICOM, DCVL, and various municipal councils in the Vidarbha region.

Justice Gavai's lineage is steeped in public service. His father, RS Dadasaheb Gavai, was a former governor of Bihar and Kerala and a Dalit leader. His brother Rajendra is also a politician from Amravati. At the Supreme Court, Justice Gavai has been a consistent voice for transparency, institutional autonomy, and environmental protection, currently presiding over key matters concerning forest and wildlife conservation.

Justice Gavai's tenure comes at a time when the judiciary faces heightened scrutiny over independence and transparency. His leadership is expected to focus on institutional integrity, access to justice, and a reaffirmation of constitutional values.

According to the memorandum of procedure (MOP) — a set of documents guiding the appointment, elevation, and transfer of High Court and Supreme Court judges — the law minister writes to the CJI to name his or her successor. It says the seniormost judge of the apex court is considered fit to hold the office of CJI and the views of the outgoing head of the judiciary have to be sought "at an appropriate time". He is one of those rare category of HC judges who were elevated as judges of the Supreme Court without serving as HC chief justice

As India prepares to welcome its 52nd Chief Justice, Nagpur finds itself at the centre of judicial history once again. Justice Gavai's career — marked by scholarly rigour, a commitment to justice, and deep-rooted humility — stands testimony to both personal excellence and the evolving diversity of India's legal landscape.

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Timeline to Justice Gavai's journey from lawyer to CJI:

* Enrolled as lawyer with Bar Council — March 16, 1985

* Worked under former HC judge & Adv General Raja Bhonsale – till 1987

* Practised as an independent lawyer in HC – 1987 to 1990

* Appointed as Asst Govt Pleader & Addl Public Prosecutor – Aug 1992 to July 1993

* Appointed as Govt Pleader & Public Prosecutor – Jan 17, 2000

* Elevated as Bombay HC Addl judge — Nov 14, 2003

* Elevated as HC's permanent judge – Nov 12, 2005

* Elevated as Supreme Court judge — May 24, 2019

* To become Chief Justice of India — May 14, 2025

* To get retired from top post — Nov 23, 2025

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# Justice Gavai will be 11th from the Bombay HC to head the judiciary. Others from Bombay HC who had become CJI prior to him are — first CJI H J Kania, P B Gajendragadkar, Mohammed Hidayatullah, J C Shah, Y V Chandrachud, M H Kania, S P Bharucha, S H Kapadia, Sharad Bobde and Dhananjay Chandrachud.

# List of SC judges from Nagpur High Court Bar Association — Janardan Mudholkar, Ananda Sen, Vikas Sirpurkar, Sharad Bobde & Bhushan Gavai.

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# Several path-breaking SC verdicts of which Justice Gavai was a part:

* Part of 5-judge Constitution bench that upheld, by a 4:1 majority, the Centre's 2016 demonetisation decision involving ₹1,000 and ₹500 notes.

* Member of five-judge Constitution bench that unanimously upheld abrogation of Article 370 in December 2023, ending Jammu and Kashmir's special status.

* Part of the Constitution bench that struck down the electoral bonds scheme for political funding

* Member of a seven-judge Constitution bench that ruled, by a 6:1 majority, that states have the constitutional power to create sub-classifications within Scheduled Castes to ensure targeted reservation benefits

* Participated in a seven-judge bench ruling that held arbitration clauses in unstamped or insufficiently stamped agreements are enforceable, as such defects are curable

* Led a bench that established nationwide guidelines prohibiting property demolitions without a prior show-cause notice, mandating a 15-day response time for affected individuals.

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KEY JUDGMENTS/ORDERS DELIVERED BY JUSTICE GAVAI AS HC JUDGE AT NAGPUR & MUMBAI:

* Yug Chandak case in 2016 where he pronounced a rare double-death sentence for the accused

* Saved MBBS seats of Indira Gandhi Government Medical College & boosted its infrastructure

* Settled dispute over illegal religious structures on public lands & roads by directing the removal of the latter

* Refused to release Rs32 cr govt money to Mokhabardi contractor in irrigation scam

* Instrumental in setting up Maharashtra National Law University in the city by warning govt of contempt action

* Quashed FIR in the case of Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) in 2012

* Directed Regional Transport Office (RTO) to check the fitness of all school buses in Maharashtra

* His several orders forced National Highway to construct several flyovers on the road to Pench in MP

* Prevented Mumbai hawkers from selling within 100 metres of educational institutions

* Restricted the height of Dahi Handi and the age of people participating in it in Mumbai

(All info as per Wikipedia & other websites and as per info provided by lawyers)