CJI BR Gavai launches MNLU Mumbai permanent campus project initiation

Maharashtra National Law University Mumbai (MNLU Mumbai) held a project initiation ceremony for the establishment of the University's permanent campus at Pahadi, Goregaon (West) on November 5.

Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai stated at the event,

"MNLU Mumbai was the first one to be started, it is the last wherein the campus is being constructed. Nagpur campus as well as the Aurangabad campus were completed much earlier but it is said that der se aaye magar durust aaye (better late than never) and that I think aptly applies to the present project."

Addressing the criticism against judicial infrastructure in Maharashtra, CJI Gavai stated,

"I read somewhere that Maharashtra is lagging behind in judicial infrastructure. I always said that the criticism is not based on correct facts. In my career as a judge for 22 years, I have seen the public works department in Maharashtra being transformed. You have many buildings being constructed for the district courts for the tehsil courts at various places. Be it Nashik, be it Kolhapur, Amravati, Nagpur...we inaugurated a building at Nashik and I must say that it is a building which could rival any corporate office...I have travelled across various parts of the country and the infrastructure provided to the judiciary by Maharashtra is one of the best and I must pay compliments to the government of Maharashtra for that."

Speaking on his association with the Maharashtra National Law Universities, he said,

"As a matter of fact, I have been associated with the Maharashtra National Law University Nagpur from 2017 itself. I have also been associated with the Maharashtra National Law University, Aurangabad as well earlier without any official capacity and subsequently as a Chancellor of the University."

On the judiciary's need for support from the other wings of democracy, Justice Gavai said,

"I always disbelieved the practice of isolation because in my view, all the wings of the democracy - the executive, the judiciary and the legislature - they exist for the welfare of the citizens of this country. It is always said that the judiciary has neither the power of sword nor the power of purse and unless the executive is on board, it is difficult for the judiciary to provide adequate infrastructure to the judiciary as well as the legal education."

Addressing the students of MNLU Mumbai, Justice Gavai said,

"Law is an evolving, organic, developing branch. Everyday, new challenges are there...in our days, the law colleges, as has been said in the Malimath Committee Report, were the factories for producing half-baked lawyers. That concept has undergone a paradigm shift. Now, the law education is based on the practical oriented training. When I attend the moot court, at times I feel that the students are arguing much better than the lawyers arguing before the court. Therefore, the infrastructure plays a very important role..."

Commenting on the proposed infrastructure of the MNLU campus he said,

"We look forward to convert it into an international law university."

He also urged students to join litigation, where the "real pleasure" lies.

"Maybe in a place like Bombay and Delhi there's a scope for specialized litigation..As Dr. Ambedkar used to always say, a lawyer is also a social engineer. He also has a role in bringing the social and economic justice, the promise of social and economic justice into reality. I am sure that the students who will be passing out from this University will pass out and become the social engineers, the torchbearers of the social and economic justice who have deep commitment to the values enshrined in our Constitution."

MNLU Mumbai Registrar Prof (Dr) Prakash Chaudhary delivered the vote of thanks.

Bombay High Court Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Pro-Chancellor of MNLU Mumbai Justice Bharati Dangre and Vice-Chancellor Prof Dilip Ukey were amongst the dignitaries present at the ceremony.