LAW ADDICTS
+91 6369639060 [email protected] Chennai, Tamil Nadu
ABOUT HOST ORGANIZATION:
LAW ADDICTS is a fiercely expanding rostrum that aspires to disseminate legal
awareness among masses who have an infinite passion towards law, springing from varied
educational fields. It is backed by the motto, 'Addiction yielding knowledge' and frequently
conducts online webinars, competitions and other events at feasible rates to satisfy its motto.
This budding organization stands apart from the rest of the community in terms of its long-
term agenda which is to offer scholarships to law aspirants transcending from the
underprivileged strata, who find it burdensome to engage in fruitful competitions/events
because of its daunting entry fee. With this agenda, LAW ADDICTS aspires to create an
environment where learning is not a privilege to be bestowed by the economically better-off
peers, but a legal right for every skillful law aspirant.
ABOUT THE MOOT:
Law Addicts is now launching its 2nd Edition of Virtual National Level Moot
Competition on Intellectual Property Rights with an aim to promote student involvement in
social issues by providing a fair and competitive environment for exchange of thought.
RULE BOOK
1. DEFINITIONS
The following terms shall have the corresponding meanings unless otherwise specified:
1.1. ‘Competition’ shall refer to 2nd NATIONAL VIRTUAL MOOT COURT
COMPETITION, 2022.
1.2. ‘Competition Problem’ shall refer to the facts and issues released by the organizers of
the Competition with its clarifications and corrections.
1.3. ‘Competition Rules’ shall refer to the official rules of the Competition as may be
amended from time to time.
1.4. ‘IST’ shall refer to Indian Standard Time.
1.5. ‘INR’ shall refer to Indian Rupee.
1.6. ‘Knock-out round’ shall refer to the Octa-final, Quarter-final, Semi-final and Final
rounds of the Competition.
1.7. ‘Organizing Committee’ (hereinafter to be referred as O.C) shall refer to the committee
responsible for the administration and conduct of the Competition.
1.8. ‘Official Email’ shall refer to the Official Email ID of the O.C.
(
[email protected])
2. GENERAL RULES
2.1. Eligibility
o All students pursuing graduate course from any recognized college, University or
Institution in India shall be eligible to participate.
o Team Members should comprise at least one Law Student from any recognized law
school, University or Institution in India.
o Each participating team shall have a minimum of two members and maximum of
three (3) members, comprising of 2 speakers and 1 researcher. In case of a 2-member
team, one speaker can also take up the researcher’s test.
o No team shall contradict the composition mentioned above. No faculty member,
coach, or a designated observer will be allowed to join the video-conferencing or
meet during the session.
o A team will be considered eligible to participate only if the registration is completed
on or before 1st February 2022 (24:00 Hours IST).
2.2. Registration
o Teams are required to complete the registration on or before 1 st February, 2022(24:00
IST).
o The Registration Fee is Rs. 300/- per team. The registration fee payable for the
Competition must be paid latest by 1st February, 2022 to:
Account Name: J.S. Shreedhar
Account Number: 36746793528
IFSC Number: SBIN0015264
Or
Google Pay Number: 9790696219
o The payment reference number and date of payment has to be inserted in the
registration form and only then will the registration be deemed to be complete.
o The Registration shall be done by filling up the form available by clicking here.
o Scanned copies of Identity cards must be attached in the registration form. In case,
there is an issue with production of scanned copies of the identity card, bona fide
certificate may be attached. In case of absence of both, kindly contact the O.C.
o Once the form is submitted, an acknowledgement mail will be sent within 24-48 hours
to the teams which shall also notify the team of its Team Code. The teams shall quote
this Team Code in all further communications with the O.C.
o Registration fees once paid is neither refundable nor non-transferable.
o Any change in team composition will not be entertained after submission of the
registration form unless the Organizing Committee notices an exceptional
circumstance.
3. MEMORIAL SUBMISSION
3.1. Each participating team in the Competition is required to prepare memorials on behalf of
both Petitioner and Respondent based on the problem released by the O.C.
3.2. Memorials are to be submitted in .pdf format before 23:59 IST, 27th February,2022.
Filename should only mention Team Code. For instance: TCLA10.pdf.
3.3. Memorials are required to be submitted through the submission form given. No
submissions will be accepted via emails.
3.4. Please note that NO HARD COPIES ARE TO BE SUBMITTED.
3.5. Any Memorial submitted after the deadline will not be accepted. The prescribed page
limit for the memorial is 30 pages. Formatting Specifications
A. MAIN BODY: Times New Roman, Font Size 12, 1.2-inch margin on each side,
Line spacing:1.5, Body of text: Justified, A4 size paper.
B. FOOTNOTES: All citations are to be made according to the Harvard Bluebook
Citation Guide (19th Edition), Times New Roman, Font Size 10, Single spacing.
3.6. Team Code
o The team code must be ascribed on the right top of the cover of the index. The
memorial shall nowhere mention any particulars of the team, except the Team Code.
There must be no mention of Name, Contact number, Email id, University name etc.
at any place. Any material presented to the Panel should be devoid of any
identification marks/seal of the Team. If any such mark/seal exists, it must be rendered
unrecognizable.
3.7. Memorials must contain all of, and only, the following components:
a) Cover page;
b) Table of Content;
c) List of Abbreviations;
d) Table of Authorities
e) Statement of Jurisdiction;
f) Facts of the Case;
g) Statement of Issues;
h) Summary of Issues;
i) Arguments Advanced;
j) Prayer.
3.8. Cover Page:
a) The Participation code should be in the upper right-hand corner.
b) The name of the forum before which the proceedings are being conducted;
c) The year of the Competition;
d) Name of the parties.
3.9. The Statement of Facts must contain a concise statement of the relevant facts of
the issue. As far as may be, the Statement of Facts should be limited to the stipulated
facts and legitimate inferences which can be drawn from those facts.
3.10. `For every hour of delay in the submission from the prescribed time of submission,
one mark shall be deducted. Any memorial submitted after 27th February will not be
accepted.
Note: The above deduction would apply even if the delay were not of a complete
hour. Hence, for example, a memorial submitted at 00:01 IST on 28th February, 2022
would still be subject to a1-mark deduction.
3.11. Not following the instructions regarding given will lead to the following penalties:
a) Use of incorrect font, font size, line spacing, page margins, page size: 3 marks for
every page on which there is a violation;
b) Failure to include a specified component in the memorial: 5 marks for every
component;
c) Length of the Memorial: 3 marks for every page in excess of the prescribed limit;
d) Violation of anonymity: Disqualification.
3.12. Administrators reserve the right to publish, use the memorials submitted for the
Competition. Memorials shall be attributed to the relevant institution and participants
during such publication and dissemination. The Administrators also reserve the right to
use the submissions for any other purpose they may deem fit while ensuring appropriate
attribution.
[1] STRUCTURE OF THE COMPETITION
o Draw of lots along with exchange of memorials will be conducted on 4th March, 2022.
The sides, round timings along with memorials of the opponent counsel shall be sent
via mail before 18:00 IST, 4th March, 2022.
o The Competition shall consist of the following rounds:
I. The Preliminary Round (I and II);
II. The Quarter-Final Round;
III. The Semi-Final Round
IV. The Final Round.
I. Preliminary Round
o In the preliminary rounds, participating teams will have to present their case before
a judge or panel of judges. Each team will be allowed a maximum of 25 minutes to
present their case. The said time may be extended by the judge at his own
discretion.
o Each team will present its case for both sides.
o The announcement of results of preliminary rounds will take place on 5th March,
2022.The decision of the judges would be final and would not be questioned or
changed under any circumstances.
o The top 8 teams calculated on the basis of the scores of the oral rounds along with
their memorial scores in the ratio of 70:30 will advance to the Quarter-finals.
o In the event of more than 40 teams participating, Octa-Final rounds will be held and
16 teams will advance to the Octa-final rounds from the preliminary rounds.
o Memorial scores will only be added in the preliminary rounds
II. Quarter-Final Round
o The Quarter-Final round will be conducted on 6th March, 2022. The top 8 teams
will be provided the memorials of their opponents prior to the commencement of
their round.
o Each team will be allowed a maximum of 30 minutes to present their case. The
said time may be extended by the judge at his own discretion.
o Teams will advance to the Semi-Final on Knock-out basis
III.Semi-Final Round
o The Semi-Final round will be conducted on 6th March,2022. The teams will be
provided the memorials of their opposing team for this round before the round
commences.
o Each team will be allowed a maximum of 45 minutes to present their case. The
said time may be extended by the judge at his own discretion.
o Teams will advance to Final rounds on Knock -out basis.
IV. Final Round
o The Final round will be conducted on 6th March, 2022.
o Each team will be allowed a maximum of 60 minutes to present their case.
o The said time may be extended by the judge at his own discretion.
[2] EVALUATION CRITERIA
Following would be the criteria for judging the Memorials:
S.NO. PARAMETERS MARKS
1. KNOWLEDGE OF LAW 20
2. APPLICATION OF LAW TO FACTS 20
3. INGENUITY AND ABILITY TO 20
ANSWER QUESTIONS
4. STYLE, POISE, COURTESY AND 15
DEMEANOR
5. TIME MANAGEMENT & COURT 10
CRAFT
6. COORDINATION AND 10
TEAMWORK
7. ADEQUACY OF THE PRAYER 05
TOTAL 100
[3] RESEARCHER’S TEST
o The Researcher’s Test shall take place on 4th March,2022.
o The Test shall comprise of 25 Questions, MCQ in nature.
[4] MISCELLANEOUS
o Before commencement of all rounds, the side on which the Team will be arguing will
be decided by a draw of lots.
o The Teams will be e-mailed the soft copy of their opponent’s pleadings prior to the
oral rounds. o Courtroom decorum is to be maintained at all times.
o Since the oral hearings will take place through video-conference, team which is not
speaking is required to mute their microphones.
o The participating teams shall be responsible for internet connectivity issues at their
end. The O.C. shall not be responsible for poor internet connectivity of the
participating teams.
o The O.C. reserves the right to amend, modify, change or repeal any of the competition
rules at any stage. The O.C. shall communicate any changes made in the competition
rules to the Participating Teams.
o If a team believes that violation of the rules of the competition has taken place at any
stage of the competition, the team(s) within half an hour after the completion of the
round in which violation has allegedly occurred should inform the O.C. through email.
Team(s) under no circumstances shall approach the Judges with any complaints.
o Dress Code for the Oral Rounds shall be according to the rules of The Advocates Act,
1961 without band and gown. If a team does not have the prescribed uniform on
account of the Covid-19 pandemic, they are to be dressed professionally in Western
Formals.
o The background of the participating teams should be plain and shall not contain any
symbols or any representations.
o The decision of the Organizing Committee shall be final in all matters concerning the
competition.
[5] CASH AWARDS, INCENTIVES
WINNERS Rs. 2500/- along with Certificate of Merit.
RUNNER UP Rs. 1200/- along with Certificate of Merit.
BEST SPEAKER Rs. 500/- along with Certificate of Merit.
BEST RESEARCHER Rs. 500/- along with Certificate of Merit.
BEST MEMORIAL Rs. 500/- along with Certificate of Merit.
E-Certificate of participation will be provided to all participating teams and E-
Certificates for advanced rounds will be provided to qualifying teams.
OFFICIAL SCHEDULE
EVENT DATE
COMMENCEMENT OF ONLINE REGISTRATION , RELEASE OF PROBLEM 17th January, 2022
LAST DATE FOR REGISTRATION 1st February, 2022
LAST DATE FOR SEEKING CLARIFICATIONS 27thFebruary,2022
MEMORIAL SUBMISSION WITHOUT PENALTY 27thFebruary, 2022
DRAW OF LOTS, ALLOCATION OF SIDES, ORIENTATION,
4th March, 2022
RESEARCHERS TEST
PRELIMINARY ROUND 5th March, 2022
QUARTER FINAL ROUND, SEMI- FINAL &FINAL ROUNDS, 6th March,2022
VALEDICTORY
In event of any clarifications, kindly contact:
Ms. Srinithi.R.(President, Law Addicts)- +91
9790858036 Mail us at
[email protected] 2ND NATIONAL VIRTUAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION, LAW ADDICTS, 2022
MOOT PROPOSITION1
1. The Republic of Garfield is one of the largest democracies in the world which procured
its independence on 10th April 1947. Following this, the leaders of the nation came
together and drafted a constitution that was adopted by the People of Garfield, which
came into force on 16th January 1950 (Hereinafter referred to as the ‘Constitution’). The
preamble and the ethos of the Constitution reflected religious tolerance and the transition
of the newly independent country from its regressive colonial roots to a more progressive,
open-minded and egalitarian society.
2. Over the last few decades, the Republic of Garfield has witnessed great turmoil through
protests championing the recognition of non-binary genders by the Government of
Garfield. Many non-governmental organizations, (Hereinafter referred to as ‘NGO/
NGOs’), human rights activists and welfare groups have been supporting the cause of the
LGBTQIA+ community and have urged the government, through several representations
to identify and protect these marginalized communities who have faced discrimination for
centuries.
3. In 2013, an NGO called ‘Law Addicts’ filed a public interest litigation (Hereinafter
referred to as ‘PIL’) before the Hon’ble Apex Court of Garfield to legally recognize
persons who fall outside the male/female gender binary, including persons who identify
themselves as ‘third gender’. The Court deliberated on whether disregarding non-binary
gender identities was a breach of fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution and it
1
The inspiration for the proposition was laid by Ms. Aparna Raju, School of Excellence in Law, the Tamil Nadu
Dr. Ambedkar Law University, Chennai and was drafted and finalized by Ms. Priyanga, M. & Ms. Sonu Mehtha
S., School of Excellence in Law, the Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University, Chennai.
referred to an ‘Expert Committee on Issues Relating to Transgender’ constituted under
the aegis of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to develop its judgement.
4. The aforementioned PIL culminated in a landmark judgment NATIONAL LEGAL SERVICES
AUTHORITY V. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS wherein the Hon’ble Apex Court legally
recognised ‘third gender’ persons for the first time and discussed ‘gender identity’ at
length. Following this, the Parliament of Garfield passed ‘The Transgender Persons
(Protection of Rights) Act, 2021’ (Hereinafter referred to as the ‘Act’) which came into
force from 16th March, 2021.The said Act looked at a range of entitlements of such
persons, providing specifically for them in health, education sectors, skill development
and employment opportunities, and protection from abuse and torture.
5. As per section 7 of the said act, If after the issue of the certificate under section 6(1) of
the Act, if a transgender person undergoes surgery to change gender either as a male or
female, such person may make an application, along with a certificate issued to that effect
by the Medical Superintendent or Chief Medical Officer of the medical institution in
which that person has undergone surgery, to the District Magistrate for revised certificate,
in such form and manner as may be prescribed. Finding this provision to be contrary to
our constitutional principles, ‘Law Addicts’ filed a public interest litigation (Hereinafter
referred to as ‘PIL’) before the Hon’ble Apex Court of Garfield challenging Section 7 of
the said act as ultravires. The petition has been posted for final arguments.
6. CIS Global Hospital, a renowned Multi speciality Hospital located in Mumbai established
in the year 2011 is well-known for performing surgical procedures as laid under Section 7
and also provides certificate to that effect. Patients from various countries visit CIS
Global Hospital for healthcare check-ups and surgical procedures. CIS Global has
registered its word mark under classes 10 & 44 for the word, “CIS GLOBAL” in the year
2015 with the usage date of 16th March, 2011.
7. Surapinni Global Hospital, situated in Vijaywada established in the year 2014 also gained
the reputation of a hospital known for surgical procedures for transgenders/LGBTQIA+
community. Surapinni Global was recognised as SG hospitals in all of South Garfield. SG
hospital has registered word marks, SG Hospital, S GLOBAL, Surapinni Global under
classes 10 & 44 in the year 2012 on a proposed to be used basis. On 1 st January, 2022 an
advertisement by CIS Global Hospital was aired on all cable, satellite and social media
networks. The advertisement depicted a transgender woman walking towards a hospital
which had SG in a blurry image and was caught and steered by other transgender women
towards the CIS Global Hospital with a tag line on the screen reading– ‘Trust the actual
Global for your surgeries & certificates’.
8. After the requirements under the Trademarks Act, 1999 were fulfilled. SG hospital filed
an infringement suit restraining CIS Global from airing the advertisement which was
allowed by the High Court of Santora. The Hon’ble High Court of Santora directed CIS
Global to remove the advertisement immediately. Aggrieved by this order, CIS Global
has filed an appeal before the Hon’ble Apec Court of Garfield.
9. The Hon’ble Apex Court of Garfield has decided to hear both these petitions one after the
other for final arguments on 6th March, 2022.
NOTE:
The Constitution of Garfield, 1950; the Acts, Rules, Notifications, etc., in force in the
Republic of Gamora are in pari materia (identical) to the Constitution of India, 1950, the
Acts, Rules, Notifications etc., in the Union of India. The Republic of Garfield is has
ratified all the international treaties/conventions that has been ratified by the Union of
India.
Parties are required to frame three issues minimum for each side. However, additional
issues may be framed.
Drafters should not be contacted under any given circumstance.
DISCLAIMER:
This moot proposition is purely based on fictitious incidents whereby the characters
and incidents, the government and orders passed, and the course of events referred to
are completely imaginary and have no relation to any government or any person
living or dead or any real-life incident. The proposition is purely for training law
students to develop an analytical mind and to augment their advocacy skills.