Efforts on to start law varsity this year: Mir

Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 1

Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir today said all possible efforts would be made to start the first academic session of the National Law University to be set up at a cost of Rs400 crore at Ghandal near Shimla.

“Though, we are not sure if we will be able to start classes from this year, but we are making efforts to ensure that its start at the earliest,” he said. He said since the state Assembly was not in session for bringing about a Bill about the university, but an Ordinance would be promulgated in this regard.

It was on the occasion of the inauguration of the Regional Judicial Conference of North Zone States here on April 24 last month that CM Virbhadra Singh and the Chief Justice had made the announcement about the setting up of the National Law University. “The University will be under the direct control of the High Court and quality education will be imparted,” he said.

Mir said work on the construction of the Rs80-crore International Arbitration and Mediation Centre at the Judicial Academy at Ghandal was in full swing. “It will have best facilities such as the academy in Bhopal, including ultra-modern hostels and cottages and also a helipad,” he said. The total cost of the judicial academy, for which the foundation stone was laid by the Chief Justice on August 26 last year, is likely to be over Rs250 crore.

He said the construction of the judicial complex would be undertaken to showcase the hill architecture and Himachali culture. The Judicial Academy, presently being run from Curzon House building in Boileauganj, will have all facilities, including an international arbitration and mediation centre, auditorium, conference halls, boarding and lodging arrangements for high dignitaries, participant-officers, officials and also residences for officers and judicial academy staff.