Overview
- On his last working day, B.R. Gavai said he viewed judgeship as service and was leaving with “satisfaction and contentment,” retiring on November 23 with Justice Surya Kant set to take over on November 24.
- Gavai underscored that the Presidential Reference on bills relied on a “swadeshi interpretation,” with no foreign citations, reflecting a turn toward indigenous constitutional reasoning.
- A five‑judge bench held that courts cannot impose fixed timelines or deem assent for governors or the President under Articles 200 and 201, affirming discretionary space within the constitutional scheme.
- Benches led by Gavai advanced environmental protection by adopting a uniform definition of the Aravali Hills with a bar on new mining leases, directing eco‑sensitive zones around tiger reserves, and pushing Saranda sanctuary notifications.
- During his tenure, the collegium recommended 129 High Court appointments with 93 cleared, including 10 judges from Scheduled Castes and 11 from Backward Classes, and five judges were appointed to the Supreme Court.