GUJARAT NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY
SILVASSA
presents
First Edition
of
National Essay Writing Competition
on
Originalism v. Living Constitutionalism:
Judiciary's Power in Post Maneka Gandhi Period
organised by
Centre for Constitutional and Administrative Law
ABOUT GUJARAT NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY, SILVASSA CAMPUS
Gujarat National Law University Silvassa Campus has been established in July
2023 to promote quality legal education in the Union Territory of Dadra and
Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu and provide the students of the UT with skill
development and job opportunities. The Transitory Campus is at Old
Sachivalaya, Secretariat Building, Amli, Silvassa. The five-year integrated B.A.
LL.B. (Hons.) degree and one-year specialised LL.M. in Constitutional and
Administrative Law are offered at the residential campus of GNLU Silvassa.
Notably, 25% seats in both the programs are reserved for students with
domicile of the Union Territory.
As a premier research-oriented institution of legal education, the campus is
nestled amidst multicultural pastures, inclusive of diversity and reflective of
rich heritage of Silvassa. The campus is designed to empower students,
scholars, and professionals through dynamic academic programs, research
initiatives, and collaborations that contribute to shaping policy. Furthermore,
the campus is blessed with abundant resources, elite educators and ambitious
students of law; the harmony of the foregoing factors emits a hopeful climate
for unparalleled research and educatory prowess.
ABOUT CENTRE FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE LAW
The GNLUS Centre for Constitutional and Administrative Law (CCAL) was
founded on August 15, 2023 on the belief that the subject of constitutional
and administrative law is quintessential for the just governance of a
democratic country. It aims to create awareness and explore the new
horizons of the basic tenets of the Constitution. The CCAL is dedicated but
not confined to the latest developments and interdisciplinary research
projects in Constitution and Administrative Law. It reflects the thought that
no sincere democracy can function optimally in absence of active and
sincere research in this field. Constitutional and Administrative Law are two
foundational branches of public law that define the relationship between
individuals and the state. Together, they provide the framework within
which governments function, balancing the powers of different branches of
the state; ensuring accountability, protecting civil rights and liberties and
shaping public administration. They represent the backbone of any
democratic governance system, offering direction for fair and just
governance.
ABOUT THE COMPETITION
The Constitutional and Administrative Law Centre (CCAL) proudly invites
students to participate in the First edition of National Essay Writing
Competition. This competition delves into the timely and complex debate
between Originalism - the idea that the Constitution should be interpreted
based on its original meaning at the time of enactment - and Living
Constitutionalism, which views the Constitution as an evolving document
adaptable to contemporary values and societal needs. Participants are
encouraged to showcase their analytical prowess, critical thinking, and depth
of understanding of constitutional principles. This is a unique opportunity to
contribute to an ongoing discourse that shapes our legal landscape and
democratic values.
THEME OF THE COMPETITION
The theme of the competition shall be -
The participants are free to choose any sub-themes. The below-mentioned
sub-themes are not exhaustive and merely illustrative in nature. Some of the
sub-themes are as follows:
1. Social Transformation through Living Constitutionalism in India.
2. Balancing Judicial Activism and Restraint in Constitutional Interpretation.
3. Constitutional Morality and the Judiciary’s Role in a Modern Democracy.
4. Future of Constitutional Interpretation in India: Originalism, Living
Constitutionalism, or a Middle Path?
5. Economic Rights and State Power: Judicial Activism in Socio - Economic
Matters.
ELIGIBILITY
The competition shall be open for any college students, pursuing
Undergraduate and Postgraduate course from any recognised institution,
within the territory of India.
REGISTRATION LINK
There shall be no registration fees for registering in the present
competition. The link for registering in the competition is as under:
LINK FOR REGISTRATION
IMPORTANT DATES FOR THE COMPETITION
RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE COMPETITION
The language of the essay shall be English language only.
Co–authorship up to only two authors is allowed.
There shall be only one submission per author. In case of co–authors, both
the author shall submit only one essay. Once the essay has been submitted,
no changes whatsoever can be made to the same.
The essay has to be submitted via google form that shall be made available
to the participants after registration.
The deadline to submit the essay is 06th Dec, 2024, till 11:59 P.M.
The CCAL reserves all rights to reject essays submitted after the deadline.
If the essay contains any kind of identification which may reveal any
information of the participant including but not limited to name of the
participant or the institute, the participant(s) shall be disqualified from the
competition.
The essay shall adhere to the word limit of 3000 to 4000 words (including
footnotes).
The participants need to follow OSCOLA 4th edition format for citations.
The essay must be word processed and the font to be used is Times New
Roman. The font size of the main body shall be 12 and that of the footnotes
shall be 10. There shall be a line spacing of 1.5.
All essays shall undergo strict similarity check. Use of Artificial Intelligence
for writing the essay is strictly prohibited, and plagiarism over 10% shall
result in the rejection of the essay.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
1 Originality of thought and argumentation
2 Depth of Analysis and engagement with the theme
3 Clarity of thought, coherence and structure
4 Quality and relevance of research
5 Adherence to citation guidelines
PRIZES
The competition offers prizes which include the following:
1. Winner ₹ 10,000 and E-Certificate of Merit
2. Runner Up ₹ 5,000 and E-Certificate of Merit
3. 2nd Runner Up ₹ 3000 and E-Certificate of Merit
Apart from the prizes mentioned above, top 5 submissions (excluding
the top 3 winners) shall be given E-Certificate of Merit
All the participating candidates shall receive a E-Certificate of Participation.
Chief Patron
Prof. (Dr.) S. Shantakumar
Director
Gujarat National Law University
Ms. Misha P. Madhu
Assistant Professor of Law
Faculty Convener, CCAL.
CONTACT DETAILS
Mr. Kumar Amogh Mr. Harshvardhan Singh
Student Convener Student Co – Convener
(9155941307) (8955859722)
Mr. Shambhunath Yadiyapur Ms. Divi Supraja
Student Coordinator Student Co - Coordinator
(8200093578) (7893511799)
Apart from the aforementioned details, you may mail us at [email protected]
for any clarifications.
