‘Privileged To Captain Judiciary During Constitution’s Diamond Jubilee’: CJI Gavai’s Emotional Farewell
As India celebrates 75 years of the Constitution, the second Dalit Chief Justice leaves office with flower petals, praise for his ‘Swadeshi’ jurisprudence, and a voice choked with emotion
NEW DELHI: In a voice thick with emotion, Chief Justice of India Bhushan Ramakrishna Gavai bid farewell to the Supreme Court on Friday, describing his six-month tenure as a profound privilege during a historic milestone for Indian democracy.
Calling himself privileged to have been the captain of the Indian judiciary when India is celebrating 75 years of the Constitution, Justice Gavai underlined that milestone as the lodestar of his 41-year legal journey. His final working day at Court Number One witnessed an outpouring of tributes from colleagues and senior advocates, leaving the outgoing CJI visibly moved.
“When I leave this courtroom for the last time, I leave this court with full sense of satisfaction, the full sense of contentment that I have done whatever which I could have done for this country,” said Justice Gavai, his voice choking with emotions after hearing poems recited by Attorney General R Venkataramani and senior advocate Kapil Sibal.
A Journey from Municipal School to Apex Court
The CJI reflected that he never saw the office of a judge as a position of power but as a means to serve the nation. His remarkable journey from studying in a municipal school in Nagpur to becoming the country’s 52nd Chief Justice embodies the transformative promise of the Constitution.
“When I joined the profession in 1985, I joined as a student of law, and today, when I demit the office, it would be as a student of justice,” Justice Gavai said, drawing inspiration from Dr BR Ambedkar’s teachings throughout his tenure.
Justice Gavai becomes the second Dalit CJI after Justice KG Balakrishnan and the first Buddhist to hold India’s highest judicial office. He credited his journey from a municipal school to the highest judicial office to the Constitution of India and the values of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity that guided him.
Swadeshi Jurisprudence and Environmental Legacy
During his farewell, Gavai spoke openly about using a “Swadeshi interpretation” in key verdicts, deliberately preferring Indian precedents rather than relying on foreign judgments. This approach was particularly evident in landmark Constitution Bench decisions on presidential powers and governors’ roles.
His final months saw a landmark ruling in the long-running Aravalli mining case, where his bench adopted a scientific definition of the Aravalli landscape and directed the Ministry of Environment to prepare a Management Plan for Sustainable Mining. Justice Gavai expressed that he got an opportunity to deliver justice on environmental and wildlife protection matters, which were close to his heart.
Brotherhood and Humor on the Bench
CJI-designate Justice Surya Kant, who will succeed him on November 23, paid a touching tribute. “He was more than a colleague, he was my brother and a confidant, and a man of immense integrity. Not a single day went by when he didn’t threaten an insistent lawyer with costs, but he never imposed one,” Justice Kant said with affection.
Attorney General Venkataramani invoked the Marathi meaning of “Bhushan” — ornament or adornment — saying Justice Gavai had adorned the judiciary and the world of law. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta noted how Justice Gavai remained unchanged as a human being despite rising to the highest judicial office.
Secular Upbringing and Constitutional Values
In an earlier farewell function organized by the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association, Justice Gavai stated that though he practices Buddhism, he is truly secular and believes in all religions. He credited learning this from his father, who was an erudite follower of Dr Ambedkar.
He emphasized that the Supreme Court should never be centered around one individual, including the Chief Justice, and that decisions should be taken collectively with the full court.
Landmark Decisions and Collective Leadership
Justice Gavai’s brief but impactful tenure witnessed several significant rulings, including decisions on judicial appointments, environmental protection, and the landmark electoral bonds case where he was part of the Constitution Bench that unanimously struck down the scheme.
As he ended his address, the outgoing CJI returned to Ambedkar’s vision, social justice, constitutional morality, and equality, reminding the bar that the Constitution is more than a legal document — it is a living contract between the people and their institutions.
Justice Gavai, who assumed office on May 14, officially retires on November 23, 2025, after a distinguished judicial career spanning over two decades. His tenure will be remembered not just for landmark judgments but for reinforcing that judicial office remains an opportunity to serve, not a position of power.
