52nd Chief Justice of India

• 14 May 2025

Why in News? 

Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai succeeds Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna as the 52nd Chief Justice of India. 

 Key Points 

• Retirement:  
  • CJI Sanjiv Khanna retired on 13 May 2025, concluding his tenure as the 51st Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. 
  • He assumed office on November 10, 2024, and served in the top post for six months. 
• Key Judgments by Justice B.R. Gavai: Upheld 2016 demonetisation and he is a part of the Bench that upheld abrogation of Article 370.  
  • He was part of the Constitution Bench that struck down the Electoral Bonds Scheme (Association for Democratic Reforms v. Union of India).  
  • In the State of Punjab v Davinder Singh (2024), he advocated applying the creamy layer principle to SCs/STs to ensure "real equality" in affirmative action. 
• Key Provisions Related to CJI: 
  • Appointment: A Supreme Court judge is appointed by the President under Article 124 (2) of the Constitution. As per the convention, the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court is designated as the CJI.  
    • The seniority is measured by the length of service on the Supreme Court. 
  • Qualification: A person to be appointed as a Supreme Court judge, should have the following qualifications: 
    • He should be a citizen of India.  
    • He should have been a judge of a High Court (or high courts in succession) for five years; or   
    • He should have been an advocate of a High Court (or High Courts in succession) for ten years; or   
    • He should be a distinguished jurist in the opinion of the president.  
  • Role of CJI: As the "Master of the Roster," the CJI holds the authority to assign specific cases to particular benches and determine the schedule for their hearings in the Supreme Court.  
    • CJI (along with collegium of four senior most judges of SC) is consulted by the President for the appointment of judges in the SC and the High Court.  
    • CJI appoints ad-hoc SC judges under Article 127 of the Constitution.  
    • With the approval of the President, the CJI can change the seat of the SC from Delhi to any other place.  
  • Removal: The CJI can be removed by the President only after Parliament presents an address, supported by a special majority in both Houses (a majority of total members and at least two-thirds of those present and voting).