Find ways to operationalise fundamental duties: Governor

CHENNAI 

Governor R. N. Ravi on Sunday urged young lawyers to think of ways to operationalise the eleven Fundamental Duties as enshrined in the Constitution.

Addressing law students at the valedictory of the Madras Bar Association (MBA) National Moot Court Competition, he said the Fundamental Duties tell us all that is needed for the growth of society and the country. The duties have very noble ideals, he added.  

Speaking about the need for the legal profession to be able to adapt to changes brought about by technology, he said youngsters could be the drivers of this change. He spoke about the way in which the country was growing with startups and the role that technology was playing in medicine. “We know that machines cannot be a replacement for humans. But they can assist. Similarly, in the legal profession too, there can be innovations and new applications in the legal system so as to ensure access to justice and its speedy delivery,” he said. 

Acting Chief Justice of the Madras High Court T. Raja said the growing population, the economic recession and lack of resources created more litigation in the country. “The more the litigation, we need more lawyers,” he added.

The team from Sastra Law School, comprising final-year students G. Shivashankar, K.R. Sarva Easwaran and Meenakshi Raman, won the competition. The moot problem dealt with a wide range of subjects, including freedom of press in reference to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and the ambit of what constitutes lawful expression of dissent (criminal law), and right or privacy of journalists (constitutional law).  

MBA president V. R. Kamalanathan said 14 law colleges and many other schools of law participated in the competition. He said the MBA had planned to conduct a two-day seminar on the art of advocacy. MBA secretary D. Sreenivasan spoke.