Justice from bottom of the pyramid

JUSTICE GAVAI BRINGS A SEASONED PRACTICALITY TO THE JOB. HE ACTIVELY SEEKS PEACEFUL RESOLUTIONS OF CIVIL AND MATRIMONIAL DISPUTES

- PV DINESH

JUSTICE BHUSHAN RAMKRISHNA Gavai is set to become the 52nd Chief Justice of India on May 14, the second CJI in Indian history from the Dalit community. Unlike Justice KG Balakrishnan, who was the first, Justice Gavai is vocal about his underprivileged background — a reminder to the Dalit community about the possibilities that exist within the Indian society to reach the top, and a call for the society at large to introspect on the minuscule representation of SC/STs in the judiciary.

Born on November 24, 1960, in Amravati, Maharashtra, Justice Gavai began his legal career in 1985. He practiced at the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court, a place known for both Ambedkarism and its stark opposition. He has practiced in various capacities — as a private lawyer, Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor. He was elevated to the Bombay High Court in 2003. After serving a long 16-year tenure as High Court Judge, he was appointed to the Supreme Court of India in 2019.

A judge deals with thousands of cases, involving innumerable statutes across different branches of law. Hair-splitting legal propositions are a feast for lawyers and students of law, but in the end, a judge is remembered for judgments he delivers on socio-political issues. The independence and social philosophy of judges are truly tested when they deal with cases of public importance. Justice Gavai has several such judgments to his credit.