Justice B R Gavai.
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
New Delhi: Supreme Court judge Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai has been appointed as the new executive chairperson of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA).
This appointment has been made by the President Droupadi Murmu, under the powers conferred by Clause (b) of sub-section (2) of Section 3 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, and is effective from November 11, 2024.
A notification to that effect was published by the Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India in the Official Gazette.
Chief Justice of India, Justice Sanjiv Khanna was the previous executive chairperson of NALSA.
As per convention, the post is occupied by the second senior-most judge of the Supreme Court of India.
Prior to his nomination as the executive chairperson, NALSA, Justice Gavai was the Chairman of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee (SCLSC).
As executive chairperson, Justice Gavai will lead NALSA’s mission to provide accessible and free legal aid to all citizens, particularly those from marginalised and economically weaker sections of society pan India. His leadership is expected to further NALSA’s commitment to upholding the constitutional mandate of Article 39-A, ensuring that justice is not denied to any citizen due to financial or social barriers, a press release stated.
Justice Gavai is set to succeed Justice Khanna as the Chief Justice of India on May 14, 2025. His term would end upon his retirement on November 23, 2025.