19th NALSAR Justice Bodh Raj Sawhny Memorial Moot Court Competition 2026, Hyderabad [Constitutional Law; Prizes Rs 2,42,500; Register by Aug 26]

The 19th NALSAR Justice B.R. Sawhny Memorial Moot Court Competition 2026 aims to stimulate research and engagement on pertinent issues in Constitutional Law. It is the flagship moot of NALSAR University of Law and is widely regarded as one of India's premier constitutional law moots, now in its 19th edition.

The competition is held from 2 to 4 October 2026 in an offline format at NALSAR, Hyderabad, and is organised in collaboration with the Justice Bodh Raj Sawhny Memorial Trust. It is judged by constitutional law scholars with expertise in the legal issues set out in the moot problem.

NALSAR was established in 1998 by a statute of the State of Andhra Pradesh and has been a hub for critical discussions on law and justice since. Recognised by NAAC and counted among India's top law schools, it draws students from across the country and faculty from India and abroad.

The Bodh Raj Sawhny Memorial Trust was established in 1999 by the late Mr Degamber Sen Sawhny in honour of his father, Justice Bodh Raj Sawhny. Educated at Cambridge and Oxford, Justice Sawhny practised in Lahore, defended his father Lala Hans Raj Sawhny and Sardar Ajit Singh in the Pindi Armoury case, was appointed Chief Judge of the J&K Judicial Service in 1910, helped draft the constitution of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir, and served on that court from 1928 to 1936 including a tenure as Acting Chief Justice.

The moot problem is drafted with the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, an independent think-tank producing peer-reviewed legal research and engaging with governments to inform policy-making.

• Open to students enrolled bona fide on a regular basis in an undergraduate or postgraduate law course, including LL.M. programmes, or its equivalent, conducted by any institution recognised by the Bar Council of India
• The Rulebook states this as students currently enrolled in LL.B. degree courses (3-year or 5-year) or LL.M. postgraduate degree courses
• A team may not have members from more than one institution
• A maximum of four teams per institution may register

Each team shall comprise a minimum of two members, both of whom perform the role of speaker. Teams may alternatively comprise three members, being two speakers and one researcher.

A researcher may be allowed to argue in place of a speaker only with the permission of the court. Any additional members, including observers, are not recognised as part of the team for the purposes of the competition.

The competition comprises two stages.

• Stage I - Memorial Elimination Round: open to all registered teams. Results are based on evaluation of the memorials and determine the 24 teams that proceed to Stage II.
• Stage II - Oral Rounds: Preliminary Rounds followed by Advanced Rounds, namely Quarter Finals, Semi-Finals and the Final.

English is the official language of the competition. Teams are identified only by an allotted team code and must not disclose their institution's identity at any point; non-compliance can lead to severe penalty or disqualification.

Teams register by filling the official Google Form and nominating a Point of Contact, to whom all communications about the competition are sent.

The registration fee is Rs 8,500 per team, paid by online bank transfer, with payment details attached to the registration form. The account details in the Rulebook are: Beneficiary Name Registrar, NALSAR; Bank Indian Bank; Branch Shameerpet; Account No 8106649221; IFSC IDIB000S166.

Registration is confirmed by the organisers after verification of all formalities, and the team is then given a team code.

Note on the deadline: the official brochure states that registrations close on 26 August 2026, while the Rulebook states that all registration formalities must be completed before 28 August 2026, 11:59 pm IST. The earlier date is used here; teams should aim for 26 August and confirm with the organisers.

Clarifications on the moot proposition are sought through the official Google Form, with a deadline of 25 August 2026, 11:59 pm IST.

Soft copies of memorials for the Stage I Memorial Elimination Round are due before 8 September 2026, 11:59 pm IST, emailed with the subject line "Memorials (Team Code) - NALSAR BRS Moot Court Competition 2026". Stage I results are declared on 18 September 2026, and qualifying teams confirm participation in Stage II through a confirmation form before 20 September 2026. Compendium soft copies are due by 24 September 2026.

Accommodation and food are provided to all teams by NALSAR University of Law from 2 October 2026 to the noon or evening of 4 October 2026.

Nani Ardeshir Palkhivala was a distinguished Indian jurist and diplomat renowned for his understanding of constitutional law, an eloquent advocate in landmark Supreme Court cases including Kesavananda Bharati, which established the basic structure doctrine.

In honour of his legacy, his nephew Mr Homi P. Ranani has contributed to the prize pool and established the Nani Palkhivala Award for Best Speakers.