Justice B.R. Gavai Sworn in as 52nd CJI

PTI, New Delhi, May 14 : Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai, who has been part of several benches that delivered landmark rulings, including the one upholding the Centre's decision to abrogate provisions of Article 370, which bestowed special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was on Wednesday sworn in as the 52nd Chief Justice of India.

The 64-year-old was administered the oath by President Droupadi Murmu at a brief ceremony at the Ganatantra Mandap in Rashtrapati Bhavan. Justice Gavai succeeds Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who demitted office on Tuesday after attaining the age of 65.

CJI Gavai, who was elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019, will have a tenure of over six months and will demit office on November 23. He took the oath of affirmation in Hindi.

Soon after taking the oath, CJI Gavai sought the blessings of his mother, Kamal Tai Gavai, by touching her feet. He was greeted by Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union ministers, and former judges. Prime Minister Modi later posted pictures of the swearing-in on his social media handle, writing: "Wishing him the very best for his tenure," on X.

Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, J.P. Nadda, and Arjun Ram Meghwal attended the swearing-in ceremony along with former President Ram Nath Kovind.

Born on November 24, 1960, in Amravati, Justice Gavai was elevated as an additional judge of the Bombay High Court on November 14, 2003. He became a permanent judge of the high court on November 12, 2005.

Justice Gavai has been a part of several Constitution benches in the apex court which delivered path-breaking verdicts. He was part of a five-judge Constitution bench that, in December 2023, unanimously upheld the Centre's decision to abrogate provisions of Article 370, which bestowed special status on the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Another five-judge Constitution bench, of which Justice Gavai was a part, annulled the electoral bonds scheme for political funding. He was also part of a five-judge Constitution bench which, by a 4:1 majority verdict, gave its stamp of approval to the Centre's 2016 decision to demonetize Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 denomination currency notes.