In a historic ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Wednesday, President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office to Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai as the new Chief Justice of India. The 52nd CJI took his oath in Hindi, succeeding Justice Sanjiv Khanna.
Ceremony Highlights
The swearing-in witnessed an august gathering of India’s top leadership, including:
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi
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Home Minister Amit Shah
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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh
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Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal
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Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar
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Former President Ram Nath Kovind
Historic Significance
Justice Gavai creates dual history as:
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The first Chief Justice from the Buddhist community
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Only the second CJI from the Scheduled Caste community after Justice K.G. Balakrishnan (2007-2010)
Personal Background
The new CJI comes from an illustrious political family – his late father R.S. Gavai served as Governor of three states (Bihar, Kerala, Sikkim) and was a prominent Republican Party of India leader.
Tenure Details
Having been elevated to the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019, Justice Gavai will serve a tenure of over six months, retiring on November 23, 2024.
In his first remarks as CJI, Justice Gavai paid homage to constitutional architects: “I bow to Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the guiding lights of our nation and Constitution.”
This appointment marks a significant moment in India’s judicial history, reinforcing the diversity and inclusivity of the country’s highest judicial office.
