PM to inaugurate C'wealth Law Conference on Feb 6

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will inaugurate the five-day Commonwealth Law Conference, the largest event of its kind in the world, on February 6.

Talking to media persons at Hotel Katria, former Attorney General of India Soli Sorabjee and Commonwealth Lawyers Association president Mohd J Hussain on Friday stated that the conference will be held in India after four decades.

Mr Sorabjee said that Hyderabad was selected for the conference since it is historically famous and has a tradition of producing eminent lawyers.

He said the conference will be attended by several hundred delegates from India and other Commonwealth countries.

Chief Justice of India SH Kapadia will also address the conference, while Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftekhar Chaudhary will deliver the keynote address.

Mr Hussain said the theme of the conference is “Emerging Economies and the Rule of law: Challenges and Opportunities”. The conference will consist of four broad streams, namely, Constitutional and Human Rights Law, Corporation and Commercial Law, Judicial Independence and Protection of Human Rights Lawyers and contemporary legal topics.

The keynote speakers include Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Chaudhury, a leading barrister from the UK, Lord Lester of Herne Hill, Supreme Court Justice Sudarshan Reddy and doyen of the English and South African Bars Sir Sidney Kentridge QC.

The conference will be addressed by the Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma.

About 10 Chief Justices from various Commonwealth jurisdictions would be participating in the conference.

Over 800 delegates from various countries would be participating in the deliberations.

On the sidelines of the conference, Commonwealth moot competitions will be held. About 12 teams from various Commonwealth countries would be competing. 

The team from India would be from National University for Juridical sciences.