CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: NATIONAL ESSAY WRITING COMPETITION ON CONSTITUTIONAL COURAGE , LIBERTY AND THE RULE OF LAW, SUBMISSION DEADLINE- 30 NOVEMBER 2026

Organised by

SCHOOL OF LAW, GALGOTIAS UNIVERSITY In Collaboration with DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY, SONEPAT, HARYANA SKS Partners (Industry Partner) Through CENTRE FOR COMPARATIVE LAW School of Law, Galgotias University

Rationale

Constitutional democracy is tested most profoundly during periods of crisis. Emergencies, threats to national security, institutional conflicts, technological transformations and social polarisation can place significant pressure upon constitutional institutions and individual freedoms. In such circumstances, the rule of law, judicial independence and protection of fundamental rights become particularly significant. Hon’ble Justice H.R. Khanna’s legacy provides an important starting point for examining these questions. His jurisprudence demonstrates the importance of judicial conscience and principled constitutional reasoning in safeguarding liberty and maintaining the balance between State authority and individual rights. The proposed competition seeks to move beyond a purely commemorative exercise and create a substantive academic engagement with the larger constitutional questions embodied in Hon’ble Justice Khanna’s legacy. The involvement of the Centre for Comparative Law, Galgotias University further enables participants to examine these questions from comparative and interdisciplinary perspectives, drawing upon constitutional experiences from India and other democratic jurisdictions.

Essay Themes

Participants may choose any one of the following themes:

1. Constitutionalism in Times of Crisis: Protecting Liberty Against the Excesses of State Power

2.Judicial Independence and the Preservation of Constitutional Democracy

3. The Constitutional Value of Judicial Dissent

4. Fundamental Rights and the Limits of State Power

5. Judicial Courage and Constitutional Governance

6. Emergency Powers and Constitutional Safeguards: Lessons for Modern Democracies

7. Human Dignity and the Expanding Horizons of Fundamental Rights

8. Constitutional Democracy Beyond Majoritarianism: Protecting the Individual

9.Judicial Dissent and Constitutional Development: A Comparative Perspective

10. National Security and Civil Liberties: Finding the Constitutional Balance

11. Constitutional Democracy in the Digital Age: Privacy, Surveillance and State Power

12. The Rule of Law and Democratic Resilience: Lessons from Constitutional Crises

Participants may adopt a doctrinal, comparative, interdisciplinary, historical or contemporary perspective, provided that the essay substantially engages with the central theme of the competition.

ELIGIBILITY

The competition shall be open to students and young scholars, including:

. Students pursuing 5-year integrated LL.B. programmes;

· Students pursuing 3-year LL.B. programmes;

. Students pursuing LL.M.students;

. Research scholars in Law and allied disciplines; and

. Students from disciplines such as Political Science, Public Policy, International Relations, Sociology and other relevant disciplines.

. Participation shall be individual.

Participants may be required to provide valid proof of institutional affiliation at the time of registration.

Essay Requirements

The submitted essay must be:

· Original;

. Unpublished;

. Written specifically for the competition;

. The independent work of the participant;

. Relevant to one of the prescribed themes; and

. Supported by appropriate legal and academic authorities.

Participants are encouraged to make extensive use of primary sources, including constitutional provisions, judicial decisions, legislation and other authoritative materials, along with relevant scholarly literature.Essay to be submitted on following email:gusolessay26@gmail.com

Awards and Cash Prizes

The competition shall recognise the top three submissions through the following cash prizes: