Justice B.R. Gavai Steps Down as Chief Justice of India: A Career Rooted in the Constitution

Justice B.R. Gavai stepped down from the post of Chief Justice of India this week, concluding a judicial career shaped by early exposure to political and social work and a long-standing belief in the Constitution. His elevation had marked a rare moment for the institution: he became only the second Chief Justice from the Scheduled Caste community after Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, and the first Buddhist to hold the office.

A life shaped by constitutional belief

Born in Amravati in 1960, Gavai grew up in a household engaged in public life through his father, R.S. Gavai, who was active in social movements and later served as a Member of Parliament and Governor. Entering practice in 1985 at the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court, he worked largely on constitutional and administrative matters. He also served as Assistant Government Pleader, Additional Public Prosecutor, and then Government Pleader at the same bench.

Appointed to the Bombay High Court in 2003 and made permanent in 2005, he spent sixteen years at the court’s various seats, including Mumbai, Nagpur, Aurangabad, and Panaji. His elevation to the Supreme Court in 2019 followed the Collegium’s recognition of his seniority, integrity, and the need for representation, ending a nine-year gap since the last Scheduled Caste judge on the Court.

Reforms, public engagement, and judicial philosophy

Gavai was sworn in as the 52nd Chief Justice of India on 14 May 2025. During his term, the Court issued new guidelines on the retention and destruction of administrative records and notified amendments expanding its working hours from July 2025. He launched the NALSA Jagriti Scheme to extend legal awareness at the grassroots and inaugurated a new circuit bench of the Bombay High Court in Kolhapur.

In his speeches, Gavai repeatedly returned to the role of the Constitution as a living document. He emphasised Dr Ambedkar’s framing of liberty, equality, and fraternity as interdependent principles, and at the Oxford Union he described the Constitution as a social document confronting caste, poverty, and exclusion directly. He often said that decisions of the Supreme Court rest not only with judges but also with the Bar, the registry, and the wider staff.

Reflections on Key Judgments and Judicial Philosophy

At his farewell at the Supreme Court Bar Association, Chief Justice B.R. Gavai identified his verdict against “bulldozer justice” as the most significant judgment of his tenure, followed by the ruling allowing states to sub-classify SCs and STs for job reservations. He described bulldozer actions as contrary to the rule of law, noting that demolishing a house because an accused or convicted person resides there undermines the rights of their family.

On the sub-classification ruling, he explained that equality does not mean identical treatment for all, citing differences in social and economic conditions among Scheduled Castes and Tribes. Gavai recalled consulting colleagues extensively before institutional decisions and credited his tenure to a collaborative approach within the collegium.

He highlighted his work on environmental protection through the green bench, with his first and last judgments safeguarding forest and Aravali lands. He said his 40-year career was guided by Ambedkar’s principles of justice, equality, and liberty.

As he leaves office, Justice Gavai’s tenure reflects a steady engagement with institutional reform, access to justice, and the constitutional principles that shaped both his life and his work.