The Centre for Comparative Public Law (CCPL), Himachal Pradesh National Law University, Shimla is organising the Two-Week Capacity Building Programme from 16-29 July 2022 on the theme – Access to Justice in Ancient and Medieval India: Revisiting Possibilities and Challenges for Legal Pluralism in 21st Century. The Programme is being organised in association with the Indian Council of Social Sciences Research, New Delhi.
The Inaugural Session was held on 16 July 2022, Saturday at the HPNLU, Shimla Campus. The Chief Guest, Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sandeep Sharma, Judge, Himachal Pradesh High Court, highlighted the challenges the Indian Legal System is facing in contemporary times. In his inaugural lecture, he emphasised that making law people centric is necessary, so that poor and marginalised could access court without any impediment. Prof. Ranbir Singh, Former Vice-Chancellor of National Law University, Delhi and NALSAR, Hyderabad was the Keynote Speaker. He expounded the characteristics of ancient Indian Legal System, which has always been people centric. He deliberated on the contemporary challenges in reviving the ancient Indian jurisprudence, emphasised the need to develop Indian conception of jurisprudence by bridging the gap between State and non-State law. He congratulated the Centre for the work that it is undertaking in the field of indigenous law and legal systems.
Vice-Chancellor of Himachal Pradesh National Law University, Prof. Nishtha Jaswal delivered the Welcome Address. She eruditely explained the evolutionary trajectory of crisis from which the Indian Legal System is suffering. In her lecture, she demonstrated the interface between the framework of access and people’s actions towards access. She highlighted the need of thinking beyond access to mind and access of mind with respect to the rich heritage of Indian philosophy and legal practices.
The two-week programme is meant for young teachers and scholars of Law, Lawyers, and Researchers in disciplines of History, Sociology, Culture, and Philosophy, from across India.
Dr. Chanchal Kumar Singh, the Director of CBP, outlined the proposed theme of the programme and explained its significance for contemporary time. The vote of thanks was proposed by Prof. S.S. Jaswal, Registrar, Himachal Pradesh National Law University.
