Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai was on Tuesday appointed the next Chief Justice of India. He would enter the office of the CJI on May 14, a day after incumbent CJI Justice Sanjiv Khanna retires.
Appointment
- Appointed by the President under Article 124(2) of the Constitution.
- Convention: Senior-most judge of the Supreme Court is appointed as the CJI.
- Seniority is based on length of service in the Supreme Court.
Qualifications for Appointment
- Must be a citizen of India.
- Should have:
- Been a High Court judge for at least 5 years, or
- Been an advocate in High Court(s) for 10 years, or
- Be a distinguished jurist in the opinion of the President.
Role and Powers
- Acts as “Master of the Roster” – allocates cases and benches in the SC.
- Plays a key role in the collegium system for appointment of SC and HC judges (along with 4 senior-most SC judges).
- Can appoint ad-hoc SC judges under Article 127.
- Can recommend change of SC seat (from Delhi) with President’s approval.
Removal
- Can be removed by the President after an address by Parliament with:
- Special majority in both Houses (majority of total members + two-thirds of those present and voting).
