Sharpen legal acumen through contests, Justice Surya Kant tells law students

Saurabh Malik

Chandigarh, March 16

In a captivating address, Justice Surya Kant, a distinguished legal luminary and a Supreme Court Judge, on Saturday envisioned a legal landscape where mediation, competitions, and unwavering commitment converged to create a more just and harmonious society.

Speaking at the valedictory ceremony of the seventh national law fest, Arguendo, organised by the University Institute of Legal Studies (UILS), Justice Surya Kant underscored the paramount importance of upholding justice in the society, while making it clear that the future was in the hands of the youth.

Justice Surya Kant also extolled the virtues of legal competitions, urged the aspiring legal professionals to sharpen their legal acumen through contests, such as the ones held during the event. He made it clear that the contests served as crucibles for honing legal acumen and provided a platform for aspiring lawyers to test their mettle, engage in rigorous analysis, and develop persuasive advocacy skills.

Mediation took the center stage as Justice Surya Kant underscored its significance as an alternative dispute resolution method, while predicting that it was on the cusp of a significant rise.

Justice Augustine George Masih of the Supreme Court also shared invaluable advice, urging the young lawyers to sit in the courtrooms observing judges in action. By witnessing judicial proceedings firsthand, budding legal minds gained insights, he added.

Acting Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia, delved into the moot proposition based on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. The moot not only challenged students’ legal acumen but also raised awareness about the drug problem, he asserted.

Justice Sandhawalia also shared insights into the challenges faced by budding lawyers. He encouraged them to navigate the legal profession with resilience. The valedictory ceremony witnessed the presence of distinguished guests, including Panjab University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Renu Vig and UILS Director Prof. Shruti Bedi.

The final rounds of the G.K. Chatrath National Moot Court Competition, were judged by Justice Deepak Sibal, Justice Harpreet Singh Brar; and Punjab advocate-general Gurminder Singh. PU Department of Laws bagged the best team prize.

The best negotiating team for the fourth Justice A.S. Anand National Mediation and Negotiation Competition was Army Institute of Law, Mohali, and best Mediator was from NLU, Jodhpur.  The winning teams were awarded cash prizes worth Rs 1.5 lakh.