LPU holds three-day International Moot Court Competition Phagwara 28 August

LPU Chancellor Mr Ashok Mittal honouring Former Chief Justice Sh SK Mittal during International Moot Court Competition at LPU
LPU Chancellor Mr Ashok Mittal honouring Former Chief Justice Sh SK Mittal during International Moot Court Competition at LPU

JASWANT SINGH GANDAM / RAMAN NEHRA
India Post News Service

PHAGWARA: School of Law at Lovely Professional University organized a three-day ‘International Moot Court Competition 2019 (Season 2)’, a varsity release said.

Over 25 teams of law students from top legal studies’ institutions across the country participated. The issue taken up for competition was based on ‘International Law’ with focus on the violation of human rights and humanitarian law.

The final round of the competition was adjudged by former Judge of Punjab and Haryana High Court Justice A.N. Jindal, Director (Academics), Chandigarh Judicial Academy, Dr Balram Gupta, and, Registrar of O.P. Jindal Global University Dr Y.S.R. Murthy.

The competition was declared open by former Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court and presently Chairperson, Haryana Human Rights Commission, Justice S.K. Mittal at a densely packed Shanti Devi Mittal auditorium with a thousand would-be advocates and judges from across the country.

Acknowledging the progress made with continuous leaps and bounds by LPU in a very short span, Justice Mittal advised law students to imbibe the very spirit of ‘Moot Court’ which is only seemingly an extracurricular activity. For full understanding of the legal profession, he suggested participants to take part in simulated court, arbitration proceedings, drafting memorials and oral arguments.

Welcoming Justice Mittal, LPU Chancellor Ashok Mittal told students that all great people of the world believed in hard-work, and the same must be adopted by students, too, in all of their undertakings.

On competing three days, University Institute of Legal Studies (UILS) Chandigarh team with Shuvneek Hayer, Gauri and Ritvik Garg emerged as winner of the competition, grabbing a Rs 25,000 cash prize and a trophy. GNDU (Jalandhar Region) team stood runner-up with Rs 15,000 cash prize and trophy. Saveetha School of Law, Chennai, got best memorial award.

Varun Bajiya from OP Jindal Global University was declared best mooter.

During the valedictory ceremony. Justice A.N. Jindal emphasized on the importance of students to learn the scope of law with focus on the procedural aspects in courts. Dr Balram Gupta advised budding advocates to be good humans being before going for advocacy or judgements. Dr Murthy highlighted that while mooting, there is need of switching focus from facts to the question of law, and the importance of research in such competitions.

LPU Executive Dean Dr Sanjay Modi and head of department of Law School Dr Meenu Chopra convened the competition along with other faculty and student organizers.  It was informed that ‘Moot Court’ involves a simulated appellate court and does not involve actual testimony by witnesses, cross-examination, or the presentation of evidence. However, it is focused solely on the application of the law to a common set of evidentiary assumptions, facts, and clarifications to which the competitors are introduced. Students may even spend a semester researching and writing the written submissions or memorials, and another semester practicing their oral arguments, or may prepare both within the span of a few weeks.