On The Front Foot

On the Front Foot is a collection of articles by Anil Divan. It includes three new biographical sketches —Justice JS Verma, Justice VR Krishna Iyer, and Shanti Bhushan—along with several additional articles. Two key pieces, “A Trojan Horse at the Judiciary’s Door” and “Upholding Judicial Independence”, examine the tension between the executive and the judiciary, analysing the Constitutional Amendment and the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill (JAC Bill) introduced in the Rajya Sabha by the former UPA Government.

Another article advocates granting the CBI independent constitutional status to shield it from political interference. The discussion on the death penalty questions whether executing terrorists is counterproductive. The piece on criminal defamation argues for its abolition in India, following the example of many other countries.

The article “Gay Rights are Human Rights” critiques the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the Delhi High Court’s progressive judgment that decriminalised Section 377 IPC for consensual adult relationships in private. The convocation address offers insights for young lawyers through anecdotal experiences. Additionally, “Restrict Foreign Access to the Bar” argues for a strict, court-monitored framework to regulate foreign legal practitioners in India.