Justice Rohinton Nariman To Deliver Shanti Bhushan Centenary Memorial Lecture Today

The lecture is scheduled to begin at 6:00 PM IST, and LiveLaw will be live-streaming the entire event, allowing legal practitioners, students, academics, and concerned citizens across the globe to tune in.

About Mr. Shanti Bhushan

Mr. Shanti Bhushan was a a very renowned and successful lawyer, a former Union Minister of Law and Justice and a social activist.

He was born in Bijnor on 11th November 1925 and his family moved to Allahabad soon thereafter. He started becoming interested in legal profession when he attended the High Court of Allahabad for the first time in 1937 (at the young age of 12). He completed a BSc degree at the University of Allahabad and went on to complete his LLB in 1948. In February 1948, he enrolled as a pleader in the district courts in Allahabad.

After the birth of India's Constitution on 26 January 1950, he was the first lawyer to file a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India in the Allahabad High Court. He became the Advocate General of UP in 1969 and thereafter the Law Minister of India in 1977 in the Morarji Desai led Janta Party Government.

As the Law Minister of India, his most important achievements were the 43rd and 44th amendments to the Constitution of India. These were passed by the Parliament despite the government not having a majority in the Rajya Sabha. The 44th amendment to the Constitution of India not only nullified several provisions of the 42nd Amendment which was brought during the emergency but also provided that Article 21 cannot be suspended during the emergency. Many checks against the abuse of power in the imposition of president's rule under Article 352 and 356 of the Constitution of India were also added by the 44th amendment to the Constitution of India.

When the Janata Party Government came to power, there was a widespread demand to follow the precedent set by an earlier Government to supersede Judges of the Supreme Court. However, as the Union Law Minister, he persuaded the Cabinet and Jay Prakash Narayan not to insist on superseding the judges who delivered the infamous Habeas Corpus judgment during the emergency which held that Habeas Corpus was not maintainable during the emergency when fundamental rights had been suspended.

Mr. Shanti Bhushan wrote his autobiography in two parts: The first book is called “Courting Destiny” which was published in 2008 and the second one is called “My Second Innings” published in 2018. He passed away on 31st January 2023 at the age of 97 at his home in Noida.

The Speaker and the Occasion

Justice Rohinton Nariman is one of India's most distinguished legal minds, known for his sharp constitutional reasoning and deeply influential judgments. His profile is marked by several rare distinctions:

Former Judge, Supreme Court of India

Former Solicitor General of India

Ordained Zoroastrian Priest from the Bandra Agiary

Justice Nariman, widely regarded as one of India's most brilliant constitutional thinkers, is expected to deliver an address of immense public interest—continuing the legacy of intellectual clarity and constitutional depth that shaped his judicial career. His participation marks a fitting tribute to Shanti Bhushan, a towering figure in Indian law and politics, celebrated for his steadfast commitment to judicial accountability and civil liberties.

Event Details 

The lecture will commence TODAY, November 19, 2025, at 6:00 PM IST at Chinmaya Mission, Lodhi Road, New Delhi. Global viewership is facilitated through LiveLaw's digital platforms.

This lecture is highly recommended for:

• Legal professionals seeking guidance on contemporary constitutional challenges
• Law students and academics looking to engage with profound legal scholarship
• Citizens interested in understanding the fundamental principles of Indian democracy

How to Watch Live

🔴 Live on LiveLaw  at 6 PM : Join the LiveLaw live stream using the link provided below.

https://www.youtube.com/live/W2UcTBgB1fQ