Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna has officially recommended Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai as his successor, forwarding his name to the Union Law Ministry for approval.
The recommendation sets the stage for Justice Gavai to become the 52nd Chief Justice of India.
Justice Gavai is slated to take oath as the 52nd CJI on May 14. CJI Khanna is due to retire on May 13.
Justice Gavai will be the Chief Justice of India for about six months as he is due to retire in November 2025.
After Justice KG Balakrishnan, who was elevated to the country’s top judicial post in 2007, Justice BR Gavai will be the second Dalit to hold the Chief Justice position.
As a senior Supreme Court judge, Justice Gavai has been involved in several landmark judgments, including the verdict upholding the Modi government’s 2016 demonetisation decision and declaring the electoral bonds scheme unconstitutional.
