CJI’s legacy of integrity: From Justice Khanna to Justice Gavai

AS Justice BR Gavai assumes office as the 52nd Chief Justice of India (CJI), his swearing-in marks a historic moment: the first Buddhist and only the second Dalit to rise to this apex constitutional post. While his tenure is brief — spanning just six months — it carries immense symbolic and substantive expectations. He inherits not just the responsibilities of heading the judiciary but also the high bar set by his predecessor, Justice Sanjiv Khanna. Though CJI Khanna also served for just over six months, he leaves behind a rich judicial legacy marked by moral clarity, institutional humility and a refusal to blur the line between judiciary and executive.

Justice Khanna’s farewell address was anything but ceremonial. His candid warning about the “truth deficit" in the legal profession echoed loudly in a climate where misinformation and ethical erosion are growing concerns. He urged lawyers and judges alike to adhere to “truth and objectivity”, values he personified on and off the Bench. His refusal to accept any post-retirement role reflects his commitment to judicial independence — an implicit critique of the revolving door between courts and governments. More tangibly, his short tenure delivered impactful verdicts that protected civil liberties, upheld constitutional values and reinforced the judiciary’s independence. These include judgments on civil rights, bail jurisprudence and institutional transparency. In an age of growing executive dominance, his restraint and clarity in adjudication offer a vital model.

CJI Gavai now faces the twin challenge of maintaining institutional credibility and upholding judicial integrity. His elevation offers hope for greater representation within the judiciary. But representation must be matched with action. If he draws upon the moral compass his predecessor provided, he can make his short tenure count — not in volume, but in vision.

Editorials