In the Spotlight – Prashant Bhushan

Prashant Bhushan has been in the news the last few weeks with the popular campaign against corruption and the demand for ‘Jan’ Lokpal Bill gaining momentum. As a part of a new initiative, we at Bar & Bench will place “in the spotlight” leading individuals, organisations and events from the legal field. This week, we focus the spotlight on Prashant Bhushan..Prashant Bhushan has been in the news the last few weeks with the popular campaign against corruption and the demand for ‘Jan’ Lokpal Bill gaining momentum. As a part of a new initiative, we at Bar & Bench will place “in the spotlight” leading individuals, organisations and events from the legal field. This week, we focus the spotlight on Prashant Bhushan. .On being “in the spotlight”, Bhushan said, “I don’t know if I deserve this appellation, but it’s important that young lawyers should realize that law as a profession is not merely for making money but doing justice and furthering the cause of justice, particularly, the larger issues of justice in the country”..Social Activist / Civil Liberties lawyer: Prashant Bhushan is known for his Public Interest Litigations, particularly involving human rights, environmental issues and accountability of public servants. Bhushan recently hit the headlines when he along with Santosh Hegde, a former Justice of the Supreme Court of India and Lokayukta of Karnataka drafted an alternate bill to the Lokpal Bill, called the Jan Lokpal Bill. The Jan Lokpal Bill created a social movement led by civil rights activist Anna Hazare..Bhushan along with his renowned father, former law minister Shanti Bhushan created a storm in December 2009 when they alleged that out of the last 16 to 17 Chief Justices, fifty percent were corrupt. Bhushan also attracted contempt proceedings when he in an interview with Tehelka made certain statements regarding Supreme Court Justice S.H. Kapadia’s interest in a matter relating to Sterlite Industries (a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Plc), allegedly implying the other ways in which judicial corruption manifests itself..He has appeared in some of the most high profile matters like the ongoing 2G Scam and the controversial Nira Radia Tapes, Narmada Bachao Andolan, the Bofors, Contempt of Court against Arundhati Roy, Enron, Right to Information, Panna Mukta Oilfields, Oil Companies Disinvestment case, Mauritius Double Taxation case and the controversial case by which candidates in elections have been obliged to disclose their assets and criminal antecedents..Education: Bhushan did his schooling from St. Josephs College in Allahabad and finished his schooling in 1972. Thereafter in order to pursue Engineering, in 1973 he joined IIT Madras. However, he decided to leave IIT in January 1974 to pursue other academic interests. He returned to Allahabad and decided to pursue the B.A. programme with Philosophy, Economics and Political Science. He went to the University of Princeton to pursue higher studies and completed his Masters in Philosophy in 1982. Thereafter, Bhushan came back to India and enrolled as an advocate in 1983. .Organisations / Governing Bodies: Prashant Bhushan is a member of the Committee of Judicial Accountability, People’s Union for Civil Liberties, National Campaign for People’s Right to Information, National Alliance of People’s Movement, Transparency International (India) and the Centre for Public Interest Litigation..Author: Prashant Bhushan has innumerable articles on legal and political issues to his credit. He is the author of two books. “The Case That Shook India”, was written by Bhushan when he was a first year student of law at the University of Allahabad. The book elaborates the case challenging the election of Mrs. Indira Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India and elucidates on what led to the declaration of Emergency and the suspension of civil liberties in India in 1975. The other book is ‘‘Bofors: The Selling of a Nation” which talks about the Bofors Gun deal and its unravelling..Bar & Bench interviewed Prashant Bhushan in October 2010 where he discussed attending Mrs. Indira Gandhi’s Elections case in the Allahabad High Court and the Supreme Court.