RGNUL Punjab Hosts International Conference On 75 Years Of Indian Constitution

The Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Punjab is organising the International Conference on the theme of “Seventy-Five Years of the Constitution of India: A Comparison with Major Constitutions of the World” on August 30–31, 2025. The Conference is organized, in collaboration with the Indian Law Institute, New Delhi and the All India Law Teachers Congress, New Delhi. Chief Justice of India is the ex-officio President of the Indian Law Institute, New Delhi.

The Constitution of India came into force on January 26, 1950. Over this 75-year journey, it has emerged as one of the leading constitutions of the world. On the occasion of 75 years of the Constitution of India, Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Punjab is organizing this international conference.

The Inaugural Session commenced with a ceremonial beginning. In his welcome address, Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice, Punjab and Haryana High Court and Chancellor, Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Punjab, introduced the subject of the conference. He talked about the importance of the Constitution, describing it as a moral compass, a living promise to future generations; ambit and scope of the Constitution. In his address, he also covered the judgments of the Supreme Court and High Court.

Justice Peter Mohan Maithree Peiris, Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka talked about his experiences as the Judge of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. He also talked about his experiences as an advocate and as a representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations. He recalled Ambedkar's prophecy, noting that India's constitutional success depends on the leaders implementing that constitution, more than its institutional design.

Justice Balakrishna Dhakal, Judge, Supreme Court of Nepal appreciated various provisions of the Constitution of India. He also appreciated the provisions of the Preamble, Fundamental Rights, and Directive Principles of State Policy. He shared his experience as the Judge of the Supreme Court of Nepal. He discussed the leading provisions of the Constitution of Nepal. He also referred to the various judgments of the Supreme Court of Nepal. He appreciated the democratic system of India. He also appreciated various judgments of the Supreme Court of India. He said that the Supreme Court of Nepal has followed various judgements of the Supreme Court of India.

Justice Rajesh Bindal, Judge, Supreme Court of India concentrated his discussion on the ambit and scope of right to legal aid and legal services. He referred to the provisions of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. He also talked about the role of National Legal Services Authority, New Delhi (NALSA), State Legal Services Authority (SALSA) and District Legal Services Authority (DLSA). He discussed the rising scope of the right to legal aid and legal services. He also referred to the judgments of the Supreme Court. He also noted the flexibility of the Constitution of India but its ability to still have a basic structure that cannot be altered.

Justice Pankaj Mithal, Judge, Supreme Court of India, discussed the historical development of the Constitution of India. He compared the provisions of the Constitution of India from ancient culture and civilisation. He discussed the important decisions of the Supreme Court like A.K. Gopalan vs. State of Madras AIR 1950 SC 27, Khadhak Singh v. State of UP, AIR 1963 SC 1295 and other judgments of the Supreme Court. He made a comparison of the Constitution of India with other Constitutions of the world.

Justice Dipankar Datta, Judge, Supreme Court of India, discussed the various provisions of the Constitution. He also referred to the leading Supreme Court decisions like Keshvanand Bharati v. State of Kerala AIR 1973, SC 1641, Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India, AIR 1978 SC 597 and other landmark judgments of the Supreme Court. He talked about Fundamental Rights, Fundamental Duties, Directive Principles of the State Policy and other provisions of the Constitution of India. He talked about the Centre-State relationship, Election Commission of India and other different organs of the Government. Justice Dutta applauded the Constitution for continuing to guide the country, and quoted B.R. Ambedkar “however good a Constitution may be, and it is sure to turn out good because those who are called to work it, happen to be a good lot.”

The inaugural session concluded with an address and vote of thanks by Dr. Ivneet Kaur Walia, Registrar, RGNUL, Punjab, whose words expressed gratitude to the dignitaries, collaborators, and participants while also reaffirming the academic commitment of Indian legal academia to comparative constitutional studies. She appreciated the discussion by the Judges of the Supreme Court. She thanked the Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice, Punjab and Haryana High Court and Chancellor, RGNUL, Punjab for this continued corporation and support to RGNUL. She expressed her gratitude towards the Chief Justice regarding promoting such an academic environment and the University is organising many such events and other academic activities under his leadership.

The conference is being organised in hybrid mode. In this conference, the technical sessions have been divided where the leading provisions of the Constitution of India and other leading Constitutions of the world shall be discussed by advocates, academicians, researchers, policy makers, and students.

The conference highlighted the importance of constitutional values in shaping international relations and in aligning domestic law with the principles of international law. By drawing on experiences from jurisdictions such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, France, Germany, Japan, and several others, the sessions facilitated a comparative understanding of how constitutions evolve, sustain themselves, and respond to socio-political upheavals. The conversations were not restricted to textual interpretations alone but extended to lived realities, decolonisation, indigenous traditions, and the role of law in addressing inequities.

The Valedictory Session brought the conference to close, synthesising the deliberations and acknowledging the contributions of all participants. The session was chaired by Prof. (Dr.) Satish Chandra, Professor of Law, RGNUL, Punjab, and Prof. (Dr.) Bhupinder Singh Virk, Head & Dean, Faculty of Law, Punjabi University, Punjab, and was graced by Prof. (Dr.) Jai S. Singh, Vice Chancellor, RGNUL, Punjab; Prof. (Dr.) Mahavir Singh Kalon, Professor of Law, Law Centre-II, University of Delhi; Prof. (Dr.) Anupam Jha, Professor-in-Charge, Law Centre-II, University of Delhi; Dr. Ivneet Kaur Walia, Registrar, RGNUL, Punjab, Prof. (Dr.) Kamaljit Kaur, Dean Research and Dean Student Welfare, RGNUL, Punjab; Dr. Manpreet Kaur, Assistant Professor of Law, RGNUL, Punjab, and Mr. Siddhartha Fuller, Assistant Professor of Law, RGNUL, Punjab.