The Confederation of Alumni for National Law Universities Foundation (CAN Foundation) in collaboration with National Law University, Jodhpur & Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar, will host the ‘1st Justice HR Khanna Memorial National Symposium’. The Symposium is being organised to commemorate the colossal persona of Late Justice HR Khanna. It will be conducted on a virtual platform on 14th August, 2021, and will be the first one of its kind that has been undertaken by the Foundation with a pair of NLU’s.
About Justice HR Khanna
Justice HR Khanna is widely recognized as the lone dissenter in the habeas corpus case During his tenure as a Supreme Court Judge, Justice Khanna delivered several landmark judgments that have left an indelible imprint on the constitutional jurisprudence of the country. His dissenting opinion in ADM Jabalpur v. Shivakant Shukla that personal liberty is the most precious Fundamental Right, and cannot be trampled upon even during the Emergency, still serves as an inspiration to combat the tyranny of those in power. In Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala, wherein there was a tussle between the majority and minority, it was J. Khanna’s opinion that paved the way for the ‘Basic Structure Doctrine’ and laid down that the Parliament does not possess unbridled power of amending the Constitution. Further, in Indira Nehru Gandhi v. Raj Narain, through his concurring opinion, J. Khanna fortified the ‘Basic Structure Doctrine’ and invalidated the 39th Constitutional Amendment Act to the extent it proscribed judicial intervention in matters of the election of the Prime Minister. J. Khanna also served as the Chairman of the 8th Law Commission of India.
Even in the darkest times of the Indian Judiciary, J. Khanna never succumbed to the hegemony of the Executive Wing of the Government and dedicated himself to preserving the sanctity of the Constitution. He has played an instrumental role in upholding the true intent of the framers of our Constitution and resigned when he was superseded for the post of Chief Justice of India by the erstwhile Government at the Centre. His portrait in Court No. 2 of the Supreme Court bears testimony to his integrity and the valiant efforts put forth by him towards safeguarding the fundamental tenets of democracy and reminds us of our responsibility to uphold the ‘rule of law’.
About the Symposium
The Symposium shall see the presence of Mr. Justice UU Lalit (Judge, Supreme Court) as the Chief Guest and Mr. Justice V Ramasubramanian (Judge, Supreme Court) as the Presiding Guest at the Symposium. Detailed information pertaining to the Symposium is available on the official website of the Foundation
An E-Brochure for the Symposium has also been released which highlights the minutest details of the Symposium and its Panelists. This E-Brochure has been designed as per international standards of aesthetic creation and animation and contains embedded live links for easy access to details of all the individuals and institutions mentioned in the E-Brochure. It may be accessed HERE .
Registration for the Symposium may be done by filling the form available Here
Speaking about the Session, Siddharth R Gupta on behalf of the CAN Foundation stated, “Justice Khanna showcased all the virtues that a person in power must have. To stand against all adversities and not yield to external pressures at huge risk of personal loss is something only a rarest of rare souls can achieve. Justice Khanna, being well aware that he was going against the government in power and that he would have to suffer its consequences did not let his personal ambitions come in the way of the good of the country. This Symposium is to honour his legacy and to remind ourselves of the contribution of a Judge who truly saved India’s constitutional framework.”
