In a significant development in the Indian judiciary, the President of India has appointed Supreme Court Judge Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai as the next Chief Justice of India (CJI).

The appointment will take effect from May 14, 2025, as per a notification issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice, Department of Justice (Appointments Division).

The notification, dated April 29, 2025, states that the appointment is made under clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, which deals with the appointment of judges to the Supreme Court. Justice Gavai will succeed Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, whose tenure ends on May 13, 2025.

Justice Gavai will be the 51st Chief Justice of India and notably, the second Dalit to occupy the highest judicial office in the country after Justice K.G. Balakrishnan. His elevation is being seen as a step forward in increasing representation and inclusivity within the judiciary.

Currently serving as a judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Gavai has had a distinguished career in law and has delivered several landmark judgments since his elevation to the apex court in May 2019. Prior to that, he served as a judge of the Bombay High Court for over a decade.

The official notification was issued by R.K. Goyal, Secretary to the Government of India, and addressed to the Manager of the Government of India Press, Minto Road, New Delhi, for publication in the Gazette of India (Part I, Section 2).

Justice Gavai's tenure as the CJI is expected to last until November 23, 2025.