CJI Sanjiv Khanna retires today
Published on May 13, 2025
By IANS
- NEW DELHI, MAY 13
(IANS) — Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna will retire on Tuesday,
marking the end of his tenure as the 51st Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
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- He assumed office on November 10, 2024, and retires after
serving in the apex position for six months.
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- Justice Khanna has formally recommended Justice Bhushan
Ramkrishna Gavai, the second-most senior judge of the Supreme Court, as his
successor. The recommendation was made to the Union Ministry of Law and Justice,
and once accepted by President Murmu, Justice Gavai will be sworn in as the
52nd Chief Justice of India.
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- As per judicial tradition, Justice Khanna will sit on a
ceremonial bench, alongside his successor.
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- The Supreme Court Bar Association is set to bid farewell
to the outgoing Chief Justice in a formal ceremony, during which Justice Khanna
is expected to deliver his farewell address.
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- Justice Gavai was elevated to the Supreme Court on May
24, 2019.
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- At the age of 64, he is scheduled to hold the top judicial
post until November 23, 2025, when he turns 65, the retirement age for Supreme
Court judges.
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- A native of Amravati, Maharashtra, Justice Gavai began
his legal career on March 16, 1985. He trained under Raja S. Bhonsale, a former
Advocate General and High Court judge. After 1990, he focussed his legal
practice at the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court, with special emphasis on
Constitutional and Administrative Law.
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- He has held several key public legal positions, including
Assistant Government Pleader, Additional Public Prosecutor, and later
Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor for the Nagpur Bench.
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- Justice Gavai’s elevation will mark a significant moment
in the judiciary, not just for his experience but also as one of the few Chief
Justices from a Scheduled Caste background, reflecting the growing inclusivity
within the Indian judiciary.
