New Delhi | Chief Justice of India Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai on Wednesday paid floral tributes at the statues of Mahatma Gandhi and B R Ambedkar on reaching the Supreme Court after his swearing-in ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Justice Gavai, 64, the first Buddhist CJI and second Dalit head of the judiciary after K G Balakrishnan, was sworn in as the 52nd Chief Justice of India by President Droupadi Murmu at a brief ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan's Ganatantra Mandap.

On reaching the apex court, CJI Gavai paid floral tributes at the statues of Mahatma Gandhi and B R Ambedkar.

He succeeds Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who demitted office on Tuesday on attaining the age of 65.

Justice Gavai, who was elevated as a judge of the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019, will have a tenure of over six months and will demit office on November 23.