The University Institute of Legal Studies, Punjab University won the ‘Sir Syed and Surana and Surana National Criminal Law Moot Court Competition – 2018’ organised by the Faculty of Law, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law secured the second place, while School of Law—UPES and ILS Law College—Pune stood third and fourth respectively.
AMU Vice Chancellor, Professor Tariq Mansoor with the chief-guest, Hon’ble Justice, Mr Pankaj Mithal (High Court of Judicature, Allahabad); guest-of-honour, Hon’ble Justice, Mr Shahi Kant Gupta; Prof Zaheeruddin (Dean, Faculty of Law) and Prof Javaid Talib (Chairperson, Department of Law) distributed prizes to the winners. Dr S Ravichandran (Surana and Surana International Attorneys) announced the names of winners.
Kajal from the University Institute of Legal Studies, Punjab University was declared the best-speaker of the finals; Advait Uday Shukla, ILS Law College—Pune received the best-student-advocate award; National University of Study and Research in Law was given the Spirit-of-Surana award and the ILS Law College—Pune won the best-memorial-award.
The chief-guest of the valedictory function, Hon’ble Justice, Mr Pankaj Mithal (High Court of Judicature, Allahabad) said that since AMU founder Sir Syed Ahmad Khan wanted to build a university on the pattern of the universities of Cambridge and Oxford and AMU is definitely in the same league.
He added that judging this moot-court competition was like sitting in an actual court room. “The participants had worked very hard and their argument skills are matchless,” said Justice Mithal.
Attending the function as the guest-of-honour, Hon’ble Justice, Mr Shashi Kant Gupta (High Court of Judicature, Allahabad) said mooting delivers a holistic approach to learning the law and the experience, exposure and memories it will give a law student are unrivalled when compared to any other activities.
He added that moot-court helps the student to develop ability to argue for the party with court etiquette, develop presentation skills and honing the skills.
Welcoming the guests, Prof Javaid Talib (Chairperson, Department of Law) said that mooting is an art and opportunity to put forward arguments supported by reasoning under the given law and who else can be the better judges in a moot-court competition than the Hon’ble Justices of the High Court of Judicature, Allahabad.
Dr Mohammad Tariq (In-charge, law Society) presented the report of the competition. The Vice Chancellor and the guests released, ‘Campus Pulse’, the first news-letter of the Law Society, AMU. Ali Faran Gulrez (Editor, Law Society) also spoke on the occasion. Mr Faham Ahmed Khan (Secretary, Moot Society) proposed the vote of thanks.