S3 Episodes release every Wednesday
Friend of the Court is back for a 3rd season. This time, the show moves out of the courtroom to tell the stories of 7 individuals and their unique role in shaping India's constitutional culture. Over 6 episodes, we look at the lives and contributions of Justice Fazl Ali, the lawyer KG Kannabiran, filmmakers Khwaja Ahmad Abbas and Raj Kapoor, women’s rights leader Hansa Mehta, artist Nandalal Bose and political thinker MN Roy. Some of these figures might be better known than others, each left an impact in their chosen field in their own way.S3 Episodes release every Wednesday
Friend of the Court is back for a 3rd season. This time, the show moves out of the courtroom to tell the stories of 7 individuals and their unique role in shaping India's constitutional culture. Over 6 episodes, we look at the lives and contributions of Justice Fazl Ali, the lawyer KG Kannabiran, filmmakers Khwaja Ahmad Abbas and Raj Kapoor, women’s rights leader Hansa Mehta, artist Nandalal Bose and political thinker MN Roy. Some of these figures might be better known than others, each left an impact in their chosen field in their own way.
The Narendra Modi-led NDA comes to power in 2014 and immediately sets its sights on judicial reforms. A new NJAC act is passed in Parliament. A constitutional amendment paving the way for the Act is also passed. Troubled lawyers move the courts opposing the new laws, objecting to the role of the executive that the Act outlines. A vacation bench hears the matter in the summer of 2015. The fate of judicial independence hangs in the balance. Eminent lawyers appear on both sides arguing for and against the new appointments system. In October 2015, the court announced its verdict.
Reference
A list of archival resources used to research this episode can be found here.
Transcript: https://www.anildivanfoundation.org/episode8
Credits:
Host: Raghu Karnad
Guests: Abhinav Chandrachud, Anindita Pujari, Dushyant Dave, Prashant Kumar, Santosh Paul, Utkarsh Anand
Research Manager: Ramya Boddupalli
Legal Researcher: Vipinn Mittaal
Scriptwriter: Ramya Boddupalli
Script editor: Bhavya Dore
Fact checker: Vipinn Mittaal
Advisors: Lawrence Liang, Ranvir Singh, Shyam Divan and Vivek Divan
Head of Production: Shaun Fanthome
Creative Director: Mae Mariyam Thomas
Production Assistant: Sakshi Nair
Sound Design & Mix: Kartik Kulkarni
Sound Editor & Music Supervisor: Lakshman Parsuram
Graphic Designer: Sephin Alexander