Chief Justice BR Gavai: A tenure marked by grace, balance and transformative simplicity

As Chief Justice of India BR Gavai demits office, India stands at a moment that invites both reflection and gratitude. His tenure as the Chief Justice of India was marked not by spectacle, but by a quiet, unwavering commitment to the foundational values of the judiciary - fairness, restraint, clarity and dignity.

In an era when public discourse is often inflamed and institutions are scrutinised with relentless intensity, his leadership offered something precious and increasingly rare: equilibrium.

From the first time I met Justice Gavai, one impression remained constant over the years - his profound simplicity and humility. These were not cultivated public virtues, but genuine traits that defined him in every setting. Despite his formidable intellectual ability and deep sense of right and wrong, there was nothing overbearing about him. His interactions were gentle, measured and grounded. He embodied the belief that authority does not need to announce itself; it earns respect through behaviour, not posture.

Inside the courtroom, Chief Justice Gavai cultivated an atmosphere of pleasantness and sanity - words that ought to be used to describe the proceedings of the highest court in the country, but not always. While he maintained strict judicial discipline, he infused the courtroom with a sense of calm, allowing lawyers to be heard with patience and courtesy. His ability to temper tense arguments with warmth and openness elevated the quality of debate and reminded us that the judiciary is not merely a forum of contestation, but a space where reason must prevail over rhetoric.

Outside the courtroom, the same simplicity and affability followed him. In all my interactions, whether at cultural gatherings within India or formal international engagements, Justice Gavai remained unfailingly polite, grounded and accessible. He had a rare ability to put people at ease without diminishing the stature of his office. Judges often struggle to strike the balance between approachability and authority; he achieved it with an ease that was both admirable and instructive.

Perhaps his most distinctive contribution lies in his clarity of expression. Justice Gavai possessed the enviable gift of taking the most convoluted regulatory and constitutional questions and expressing them in plain, lucid language. His judgments in complex regulatory disputes - particularly in the realms of constitutional law and energy law - stand out for their precision and accessibility. They cut through jargon and obfuscation, allowing not only lawyers but also policymakers, academics and industry stakeholders to grasp the essence of the law. In doing so, he did more than interpret the law; he expanded its reach and understanding.

Equally striking was the grace with which he handled criticism. Indian judges occupy a uniquely vulnerable position: expected to be immune to public pressure yet subject to relentless scrutiny. Through all this, Justice Gavai remained composed. The way he dealt with the odd shoe-throwing incident at the Supreme Court stands as a testament to his temperament. In a moment that could easily have provoked anger or defensiveness, he responded with dignity, restraint and an almost disarming calm. It revealed the quiet strength of a man who believed that personal affronts should never dilute institutional dignity.

Chief Justice Gavai demonstrated courage, not the loud kind, but the principled kind that emerges when one stands firm regardless of consequence. His willingness to depart from convention was neither reckless nor ideological; it was grounded in a commitment to justice as he understood it. Whether granting bail to members of the political opposition, safeguarding the liberties of social activists or subjecting powerful actors to rigorous judicial scrutiny, he showed that equilibrium is not a passive state; it is an active choice. In my experience, he remains one of the most balanced judges to have served on the Bench, a jurist who resisted the gravitational pull of partisanship or pressure with extraordinary steadiness.

As he demits office, Chief Justice Gavai leaves behind a legacy far deeper than the sum of his judgments. He leaves behind a model of judicial leadership anchored in simplicity, humility, clarity and moral courage. His tenure underscores an essential truth: that the strength of the judiciary lies not only in doctrine or precedent, but in the character of those entrusted with its guardianship.

In celebrating his contributions, we also recognise an ethos he embodied - one India must continue to nurture. An ethos where authority is exercised with grace, complexity is met with clarity, criticism is met with composure and justice is pursued with balance. Chief Justice Gavai’s tenure reminds us that the judiciary’s greatest strength is the humanity and integrity of its judges.

As he embarks on the next chapter of his life, the institution he leaves behind is richer for his presence, steadier for his leadership and wiser for his example.

Sajan Poovayya is a Senior Advocate.