Government Law College, Mumbai, in association with the D. M. Harish Foundation, presents The 27th D. M. Harish Memorial Government Law College International Moot Court Competition, 2026 (DMH). The Competition will also comprise of a Memorial Qualification Round, for which the number of registrations of Colleges/Universities shall have no limit, pursuant to which teams will advance to the Oral Rounds of Arguments. The Competition is scheduled to be held in a hybrid format, with the Preliminary & Octo-Final Rounds of Arguments held online in January, 2026, and the Quarter-Final, Semi-Final & Final Rounds of Arguments held offline in March, 2026, in Mumbai.
ABOUT THE ORGANISERS:
Government Law College, Mumbai, established in 1855, is the oldest law college in Asia, a
pioneer in legal education – an institution par excellence. The generations of legal luminaries who have been nurtured by this unique institution have made seminal contributions to the evolution of the Indian Legal System. Sir Dinshaw Mulla, Mr. A. A. A. Fyzee and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar have all been the principals of this venerated institution. Former Chief Justices of India including Mr. Harilal Kania – the first Chief Justice of India, Mr. P. N. Bhagwati, Mr. S. H. Kapadia, Mr. M. H. Kania and Mr. S. P. Bharucha all began their careers at GLC. The Hon’ble President of India, Her Excellency, Ms. Pratibha Patil, Mr. Soli Sorabjee, Mr. Fali Nariman, Mr. Anil Divan, Mr. T. R. Andhyarujina and Mr. Goolam Vahanvati have all been students of this very institution.
Late Mr. D. M. Harish was a distinguished advocate and a renowned authority on Income-tax Law in India. He has made an immeasurable contribution to the field of law through the publication of his magnum opus, an eight volume treatise on Income-tax Law, “D. M. Harish on Income-Tax”.​ Mr. D. M. Harish believed his personal success could be directly attributed to education and hard work. In his lifetime, he set up D. M. Harish Foundation as an educational trust to spread his vision. The D. M. Harish Foundation has sponsored hundreds of underprivileged students at the School and University level in India and abroad, since its inception in 1991. The Foundation has particularly concerned itself with improving the quality of legal education.
ABOUT THE COMPETITION:
The DMH Moot is India’s first International Moot Court Competition. It started in the year 2000 as a National Moot Court Competition and has been open to international entrants for the past eighteen years. The Compromis of the Competition deals primarily with issues relating to Public International Law, highlighting the emerging legal landscape and has been drafted by experts in the field.
This coveted Competition, since its inception, has been graced by eminent lawyers and stalwarts of the Indian legal fraternity as they partake in adjudicating the participants in various rounds. The Final Round of Arguments is traditionally judged by a distinguished bench of Judges of the Hon’ble Bombay High Court, which contributes to curate an enriching experience for the participants, owing to its resemblance to actual juridical proceedings.
University of Cambridge, Cornell Law School, Washington University School of Law, King’s College, Bond University, New York University School of Law, University of Sussex, National University of Singapore, National Law School of India University, NALSAR, National Law University Jodhpur and Gujarat National Law University are some of the institutes that have in the past taken home coveted awards.
FORMAT OF THE MOOT:
There shall be a Memorial Qualification Round for all participating teams except Invited Teams (as defined in clause 1.2 of the Official Rules) and International Teams for the 27th edition of the D. M. Harish Memorial Government Law College International Moot Court Competition, 2026. There shall be no limit on the number of Colleges/Universities that register for participation in the Memorial Qualification Round. All Colleges/Universities that register for the same shall be accepted. There shall be no registration fee for the Memorial Round. A total of 24 teams shall qualify to the Preliminary Rounds of Arguments which shall be inclusive of Invited and International Teams.
The Competition will be conducted in a hybrid format. The Preliminary and Octo-Final Rounds of Arguments will be held online on 31st January, 2026, followed by the Quarter-Final Rounds to be held offline on 12th March, 2026, and the Semi-Final and Final Rounds to be held offline in Mumbai on 14th March, 2026. The participating teams will go through two Preliminary Rounds, an Octo-Final Round, a Quarter-Final Round, a Semi-Final Round and ultimately, the Final Round of Arguments. Eminent lawyers and Judges of the highest standing in India, academicians and experts in the field of Public International Law shall converge to adjudicate the various rounds of the Competition. The awards given out include prizes for the Best Team, Second-Best Team, Best Speaker, Best Speaker in the Final Round of Arguments, Second-Best Speaker, Best Memorial and Second-Best Memorial.
THE PANEL DISCUSSION:
The Moot is accompanied by a Panel Discussion that delves into current socio-legal questions that often relate closely to the Compromis. Featuring eminent personalities from the field of Public International Law, this discussion offers unique insights into contemporary legal and societal issues.
Last year’s Panel Discussion explored “Free Speech and Censorship in the Age of Social Media: Necessity or Overreach”, featuring an esteemed panel comprising Hon’ble Shri Justice G. S. Patel (Retd.), Retired Judge of the Hon’ble Bombay High Court; H. E. Mr. Haim Divon, former Ambassador of Israel to the Netherlands; Mr. Ashwin Sanghi, eminent Indian author; Mr. Cyrus Broacha, renowned anchor, comedian, and podcaster; Ms. Arti Raghavan, Advocate at the Hon’ble Bombay High Court; and Prof. Kishu Daswani who has been a Professor of Law at Government Law College, Mumbai for more than 25 years. This year, we are pleased to announce that the Panel Discussion will take place offline in Mumbai, on 13th March, 2026. We extend a warm invitation to all those interested in attending the Panel Discussion.
THE MOOT COMPROMIS:
The Compromis involves a set of interlinked international law issues arising from alleged climate-related harm, regional industrial activity, and the implications of a prior ICJ judgment. Central questions include whether proceedings are barred by the indispensable third-State doctrine due to Narmada’s involvement; whether the ICJ may address matters connected to implementation or enforcement of the 2022 Narmada v. Vardhana judgment; how attribution, causation, and due-diligence obligations operate in the context of complex climate impacts; whether omissions, including non-compliance with earlier judicial findings, can generate new internationally wrongful acts; and what forms of compensation or other remedies may be available for existing, unknown, or future climate harm. These issues emerge amid scientific evidence of anthropogenic contributions, disputes over legal responsibility for the Suryapatha Corridor’s footprint, and debates on the reach of evolving climate obligations.
REGISTRATIONS:
All interested colleges, except the Invited Indian Universities/Colleges(as defined in Clause 1.2 of the Official Rules) and Overseas Teams, must take part in the Memorial Qualification Round, the deadline to register for which is 15th December, 2025. The results for the Memorial Qualification Round shall be released on 22nd January, 2026. A total of 24 Teams shall qualify to Oral Rounds, inclusive of Invited and Overseas Teams. There shall be no registration fee for the Memorial Qualification Round.
A nominal registration fee of INR 2500/- shall be charged only to the Invited Indian Universities/Colleges, and Indian Universities/Colleges that qualify to the Oral Rounds of Arguments. A registration fee of USD 65 shall be charged to all the Overseas Universities/Colleges.
The Registration Fee must be paid via NEFT for Indian Teams and via Wire Transfer for Overseas Teams, latest by 18th December, 2025. This Registration Fee is inclusive of accommodation which shall be provided to the teams qualifying for the Quarter-Final Round of Arguments at the cost of the Organisers for teams residing outside of Mumbai.
If you require any further information or assistance with respect to this competition, you may email us at dmh.glc@gmail.com or mcaglc@gmail.com.
ELIGIBILITY:
Students enrolled in a full-time or part-time law programme at the time of the Competition are eligible to compete in the Competition. Participation is limited to only one (1) team per University/College. Cross University/College teams are strictly prohibited.
AWARDS:
The following awards shall be presented:
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Best Team – INR 36,000/-
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Second-Best Team – INR 27,000/-
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Best Speaker – INR 14,000/-
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Best Speaker in the Final Round of Arguments – INR 14,000/-
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Second-Best Speaker – INR 10,000/-
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Best Memorial – INR 15,000/-
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Second-Best Memorial – INR 12,000/-
All participants will receive e-Certificates of Participation. All award winners present in Mumbai will be given physical Certificates of Merit, while the rest will receive the same in electronic form.
SCHEDULE:
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Deadline for Provisional Registration (Via Mail) for Teams — 15th December, 2025
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Last Date for Registration (Online Form and Payment) for all Teams — 18th December, 2025
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Last Date to seek Clarifications to the Moot Compromis — 20th December, 2025
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Last Date for submission of Soft Copy Memorials — 13th January, 2026
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Release of Results of Memorial Qualification Round – 22rd January, 2026
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Preliminary Rounds & Octo-Final Rounds of Oral Arguments (Online Via Zoom) — 31st January, 2026
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Quarter-Final Rounds of Oral Arguments (Offline in Mumbai) — 12th March, 2026
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Last day for submission of Hard Copies of Memorials & Compendiums — 28th February, 2026
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Panel Discussion (Offline in Mumbai) — 13th March, 2026
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Semi-Final & Final Rounds of Oral Arguments (Offline in Mumbai) — 14th March, 2026
CONTACT DETAILS:
E-mail Address: dmh.glc@gmail.com or mcaglc@gmail.com
Registrations: Ms. Vanee Kaushik +91 78273 69022
Memorials: Mr. Dhanish Lamba +91 9136321500
Accomodation and Travel: Mr. Krishang Saraogi +91 8145517430
To know more: