CJI BR Gavai’s tenure boosted judicial diversity with 11 judges from Backward Classes and 10 from Scheduled Castes appointed to High Courts. His leadership marked one of the strongest pushes for inclusive representation in India’s judiciary.
Chief Justice of India BR Gavai is completing his term tomorrow, and during his more than six months in office, he oversaw several important developments in the judiciary. Gavai, who is the first Buddhist and the second Dalit CJI of India, played a major role in strengthening judicial representation and pushing important legal reforms before stepping down.
During his tenure, the Supreme Court collegium led by CJI Gavai recommended 129 candidates to the central government for appointments as judges in different High Courts across the country. Out of these, the government approved 93 names.
Among the cleared appointments were 10 judges from the Scheduled Caste (SC) category, 11 from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Backward Classes, and 15 women judges. These appointments were seen as a strong step towards increasing diversity and inclusion in the Indian judiciary.
Not only High Court judges, but five judges were elevated to the Supreme Court while Justice Gavai was the head of the collegium.
These included Justice NV Anjaria, Justice Vijay Bishnoi, Justice AS Chandurkar, Justice Alok Aradhe, and Justice Vipul Manubhai Pancholi. Their elevation contributed to filling key vacancies in the apex court.
Justice Gavai also delivered several significant judgments during his tenure. His bench passed important orders such as staying key provisions of the Waqf Act and allowing the Central government to grant post-facto environmental clearances to various projects under specific conditions.
These verdicts generated major national debate on environmental regulation, minority welfare laws and administrative powers.
One of his most discussed decisions was the striking down of important provisions of the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021.
Justice Gavai explained that the ruling was necessary to preserve judicial independence, which he said forms the basic structure of the Constitution and therefore cannot be compromised. He emphasised that tribunals must remain free from any undue influence.
On his last working day, which was Friday, Justice Gavai said he was deeply moved by the tributes he received from fellow judges, lawyers and court staff.
He stated that he was leaving the institution with complete satisfaction after spending four decades as a lawyer and a judge. He described himself as a ‘student of justice’ as he concluded his long judicial journey.
Justice Gavai will demit office tomorrow, and Justice Surya Kant will be sworn in as the next Chief Justice of India on November 24.
Click Here To Read More Reports on CJI BR Gavai
FOLLOW US FOR MORE LEGAL UPDATES ON YOUTUBE
