Justice Gavai, who completes his final working day in court on Friday, said his fatheran admirer of Dr. BR Ambedkar taught him the values of equality and religious harmony. Recalling childhood visits to political gatherings, dargahs and gurdwaras, he said he “grew up in an environment of respecting all religions, including Hinduism, Sikhism and Islam.”
His farewell comes weeks after the CJI delivered strong public warnings on digital-era vulnerabilities. On October 11, he cautioned that young girls are increasingly exposed to online exploitation through cyberbullying, stalking, data misuse and deepfake content. Earlier, on October 4, he asserted that “bulldozer action” without due process violates the rule of law, noting that punitive demolitions cannot be justified in a constitutional democracy.
Justice Gavai will be succeeded by senior Supreme Court judge Justice Suryakant, who takes oath as the 53rd Chief Justice of India on November 24. The Law Ministry announced his elevation on October 30 following CJI Gavai’s recommendation that he is “suitable and capable” of leading the judiciary. Justice Suryakant will serve a 14-month tenure, retiring on February 9, 2027.
A first-generation lawyer and the first person from Haryana to rise to the country’s top judicial position, Justice Suryakant’s journey began in Petwar, a remote Hisar village. The son of a schoolteacher, he studied in a school without benches until Class 8 and worked in the fields to support his family before pursuing law.
His elevation marks the continuation of a leadership transition as the Supreme Court prepares for significant hearings in the coming months.
