Justice Ajit Prakash Shah - In Defence Of The Voiceless
LIVELAW NEWS NETWORK
2 Aug 2025 12:49 PM IST
In this episode of the Bombay Bar Association Podcast, we are joined by Justice A.P. Shah, one of India's most respected jurists and a champion of progressive constitutionalism. A former Chief Justice of the Delhi and Madras High Courts and Chairman of the 20th Law Commission, Justice Shah shares insights from his distinguished career in a thoughtful conversation with Senior Advocate...
In this episode of the Bombay Bar Association Podcast, we are joined by Justice A.P. Shah, one of India's most respected jurists and a champion of progressive constitutionalism. A former Chief Justice of the Delhi and Madras High Courts and Chairman of the 20th Law Commission, Justice Shah shares insights from his distinguished career in a thoughtful conversation with Senior Advocate Gaurav Joshi. They discuss his judicial philosophy, the influence of his school in Solapur on his attitude towards freedom of speech, and landmark judgments, including the Naz Foundation case, the judicial assets RTI ruling, and more. This episode is essential viewing for law students, aspiring judges, and legal professionals engaged with constitutional law and the pursuit of justice.
CHAPTERS
(00:00 - 00:49) Introduction
(00:50 - 05:38) Growing up in Solapur around lawyers
(05:39 - 07:13) The importance of right to speech
(07:14 - 15:06) The lawyers and judges who inspired Justice Shah
(15:07 - 23:47) Transitioning into being a judge
(23:48 - 30:06) The Naz Foundation Judgement
(30:07 - 31:04) Working with Medha Patkar on people affected by the Narmada Project (31:05 - 33:12) Law Commission of India
(33:13 - 34:11) Delhi Riots Fact Finding Commission
(34:12 - 38:32) Views on the collegium system and appointment of judges
(38:33 - 41:00) Role of PILs in India and their limitations
(41:01 - 42:31) The role of media
(42:33 - 45:32 )The role of the judiciary in protecting the rights of the citizens of India
(45:33 - 46:26) The judicial procedures that need to changed
(46:27 - 47:56) The books and movies that he likes
CREDITS:
Guest: Justice A.P. Shah
Host: Gaurav Joshi
Audio Podcast Narrator: Aditya Bapat
Editorial Guidance: Nitin Thakker
Special Thanks: Farhan Dubash & Firoz Bharucha
Concept & Creative Producer: Aditya Bapat
Head of Production: Shaun Fanthome
Creative Head: Mae Mariyam Thomas
Sound Designer & Mixing Engineer: Kartik Kulkarni
Sound Editors : Lakshman Parsuram & Nihar Temkar
Director and Editor: Jishnu Guha
Animation: Pratik Belote & Kurush Dubash
Camera Assistant: Ujjwal Lo
Project Coordinator: Natasha Vakil
Assistant Producer: Quoyina Ghosh
Studio: Island City Studios
This is a Maed in India production.