Conference organized by the Supreme Court AOR Association, to begin shortly.
The program will be inaugurated by the President of India Ram Nath Kovind and presided over by the Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra.
The program will be inaugurated by the President of India Ram Nath Kovind and presided over by the Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra.
Guest of Honour Attorney General KK Venugopal has arrived
The President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) Ram Nath Kovind along side the current CJI Dipak Misra and Justice Ranjan Gogoi.
CJI Dipak Misra presenting the first copy of the SCAORA E-journal to the President of India Ram Nath Kovind.
First copy of SCAORA E-Journal released
Attorney General KK Venugopal takes the dais to deliver his address.
He says the legal practice has changed drastically over the years, with there being as many women lawyers these days as men lawyers.
He says the legal practice has changed drastically over the years, with there being as many women lawyers these days as men lawyers.
"We are in an honourable profession and it is my plea to the lawyers, please don't go on strikes. Strikes are for trade unions not for legal professionals. Legal practice is not a business, but an honourable profession."
-AG KK Venugopal at the Conference.
-AG KK Venugopal at the Conference.
Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra begins to deliver his Presidential Address.
“AG KK Venugopal said lawyers should not go on strike - this should be considered as a command by the leader of the Bar” CJI Dipak Misra
“Young lawyers are technically sound and should be allowed to argue in courts. Old should leave the courts for young lawyers.” CJI Dipak Misra
"When the leader of the Bar, the Attorney general has requested the lawyers to not go on strikes, treat it as a command", CJI Misra.
CJI Misra touches upon every theme of the conference.
On Technology: Technology can enhance quality of work of the Courts.
On Training: Legal Profession identifies continued need for education.
On Infrastructure: Good infrastructure needed for better litigant consultation.
On Technology: Technology can enhance quality of work of the Courts.
On Training: Legal Profession identifies continued need for education.
On Infrastructure: Good infrastructure needed for better litigant consultation.
Before concluding, CJI Misra advises young lawyers, "You should try to be a mediator before entering into any adversarial litigation."
President of India Ram Nath Kovind delivers his address.
"This is a homecoming for me."
"This is a homecoming for me."
SCAORA felicitates Justice Indu Malhotra
Justice Madan Lokur chairing the first session on Technology, Training and Infrastructure: Keys to Speedy Justice along with Justice Khanvilkar, Senior Advocates Shyam Divan and CU Singh
Lokur J thank the Government of India in sanctioning money for the e-Committee.
"All District Courts (16000+) are computerised. 17 High Courts have adopted the software developed by the e-Committee."
"All District Courts (16000+) are computerised. 17 High Courts have adopted the software developed by the e-Committee."
Justice Lokur speaks about the steps introduced by the e-Committee which include services like e-filing and e-service of summons.
"25-30% of cases pending in District Courts due to absence of effective service of summons. This will help in reducing the pendency"
"25-30% of cases pending in District Courts due to absence of effective service of summons. This will help in reducing the pendency"
"National Judicial Data Grid is a game changer", Lokur J.
He highlights that all orders and judgements are made available by the NIC. Justice Lokur terms the progress achieved by the e-Committee in the e-Courts program as a "technological revolution"
He highlights that all orders and judgements are made available by the NIC. Justice Lokur terms the progress achieved by the e-Committee in the e-Courts program as a "technological revolution"
Senior Advocate Shyam Divan takes a different view on technology for speedy justice.
"There is a possibility that technology might clog the system further.
"There is a possibility that technology might clog the system further.
Divan focuses on the deep relationship between the legal system and the written word.
"If we want to tackle the process of speedy justice, we have to move away from the practice of oral arguments and have to be better with written submissions and at thinking on paper."
"If we want to tackle the process of speedy justice, we have to move away from the practice of oral arguments and have to be better with written submissions and at thinking on paper."
Divan addresses that adopting new technology is an enormous challenge but says that while new technology is "brilliant" as regard information dissemination and convenience, pendency will be reduced if lawyers move away from oral arguments and emphasize on the written word.
Senior Advocate CU Singh chose to address the gathering on the subject of training.
He says that training at the lowest level of Judiciary and among lawyers is lacking
He says that training at the lowest level of Judiciary and among lawyers is lacking
Prime necessity is training of lawyers and judges at the lowest level of Judiciary.
Singh suggests that senior lawyers should reach out to Bar Associations and Law Schools to offer services like delivery of lectures to help in training process.
Singh suggests that senior lawyers should reach out to Bar Associations and Law Schools to offer services like delivery of lectures to help in training process.
Singh concludes by saying "with advanced facilities like E-filing, we also need to take care of training for the rudimental things like dealing with plaints at the trial level
Senior Adv Meenakshi Arora spoke about expanding scope of legal education with niche subjects like IBC, Competition Law and Intellectual Property Laws evolving but don't find space in curriculum of legal education.
"Courses like BSc LLB and petroleum Law are a welcome change"
"Courses like BSc LLB and petroleum Law are a welcome change"
Senior Adv Jaideep Gupta speaks about need for Advocacy Training which is not covered under Moot Court exercise.
"Advocacy skills are important for speedy justice. Only if a lawyer presents his case effectively can a Judge speedily adjudicate upon it."
"Advocacy skills are important for speedy justice. Only if a lawyer presents his case effectively can a Judge speedily adjudicate upon it."
"Moot Courts don't achieve the purpose of advocacy training. A clinical method of teaching needs to be developed. It is a time of change, so let's embrace the change", Jaideep Gupta
ASG Tushar Mehta highlights the difference in legal education now as compared to what it was under the "no internet era".
"Old lawyers went through standard commentary, Bare Acts, object of the Act and then applied their minds. Young lawyers do a 'word based' search"
"Old lawyers went through standard commentary, Bare Acts, object of the Act and then applied their minds. Young lawyers do a 'word based' search"
Tushar Mehta says "Moot Court system as it is now needs a little tweaking and need to factor in training in how to argue, how not to argue, how to be polite to the person sitting on the dais"
Mehta also advocates for teaching of comparative law and Constitutional Laws of other countries for a wider scope and understanding and perspective of the legal and social scenario.
Justice Indu Malhotra speaking about the legal education in India says, "There was a paradigm shift in legal education in the 90s when the 5 years law course was introduced."
Justice Malhotra opines that the three 3+3 system of legal education is better than the 5 yr law course.
"The 3+3 system gives a better understanding and a good grounding of a specific subject and then an education in law for 3 years."
"The 3+3 system gives a better understanding and a good grounding of a specific subject and then an education in law for 3 years."
Justice Malhotra also highlights the welcome change of setting up research centres in Law Universities citing the example of the Project 39A of NLU Delhi to study and research on Death penalty.
Justice Malhotra says that while Moot Courts, ADR exercises and internships are very good for honing skills of the students, there is also a need for exchange programs.
Justice Malhotra concludes by saying, "it is also important for Judges and Arbitrators to keep abreast the changing legal system since that is the need of the hour."
Justice DY Chandrachud begins his address by quoting Prof @shamnad Basheer's study in CLAT which points out the lack of accessibility and diversity in the candidates who enter the legal education system.
Justice Chandrachud observes that CLAT is made accessible largely to the urban population.
"We have to remember, Justice is not confined to the Urban population alone, but the need for it is predominantly in the rural population."
"We have to remember, Justice is not confined to the Urban population alone, but the need for it is predominantly in the rural population."
"Knowledge of subjects like political science, sociology, economics is very vital. A lot of judging we do is based on the current scenario of the Indian society", Justice Chandrachud
Justice Chandrachud highlights the need for good Law teachers.
"Unless you generate good law teachers, you will not generate good lawyers."
"Unless you generate good law teachers, you will not generate good lawyers."
Justice Chandrachud speaks about the need for open and easy access to legal journalists and as well as for open records.
"The lack of diversity in Law schools is very pronounced", Chandrachud J.
He makes a case for more transparency while making appointments to the Lawyers' chambers or Judges' chambers to ensure that those "not connected" also get a chance or it will be just an "Old boys' club"
He makes a case for more transparency while making appointments to the Lawyers' chambers or Judges' chambers to ensure that those "not connected" also get a chance or it will be just an "Old boys' club"
Chandrachud J, before concluding, stresses on the need for making litigation a secure environment for women lawyers.
"They don't enter the profession because they have no guarantee that they will be able to maintain their dignity should they enter the legal profession"
"They don't enter the profession because they have no guarantee that they will be able to maintain their dignity should they enter the legal profession"
[Full VIDEO] - Supreme Court Judge Justice Dhanajaya Yeshwant Chandrachud speaks on the Changing Face of Legal Education in India. Justice Chandrachud speaks on diversity in Legal Education, his real-life stories.
