Surana & Surana and SOEL Trial Advocacy Moot Court Competition: South Rounds 2026-27 [Hybrid, Chennai, Prize Pool Rs 70,000]

The School of Excellence in Law (SOEL) is a constituent law school of The Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University, at its Perungudi Campus on MGR Salai, Chennai 600 113, near Taramani MRTS Railway Station. The South Rounds are hosted by the Moot Court Association of SOEL in collaboration with Surana & Surana International Attorneys, Chennai.

Surana & Surana International Attorneys runs the moot portal at www.moot.in, through which registrations for this competition are administered and through which the invitation, the rules and the case documents are published. Mr. Preetam Surana, Partner - Dispute Resolution and Head - Academic Initiatives at the firm, is the Chief Administrator of the competition. The announcement post also points readers to the Moot Court Association, SOEL professional-network company page for updates, alongside the association's own site.

The Surana & Surana Trial Advocacy Moot Court Competition 2026-27 runs in two regional legs. The North Rounds are hosted by the Department of Law, University of Jammu from 18 to 20 September 2026, and the South Rounds are hosted by SOEL, TNDALU, Chennai from 25 to 27 September 2026. This post covers the South Rounds.

The competition has been conceived with the aim of promoting skills of trial advocacy and is conducted in accordance with the procedures established by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023. It is designed to promote and aid the understanding of criminal law jurisprudence and the growth of advocacy skills, and specifically to:

• Help participants gain a comprehensive understanding of the nuances of the Indian criminal justice system
• Provide a realistic simulation of trial proceedings based on the Indian criminal justice system
• Enhance participants' knowledge and comprehension of the distinct roles, strategies and techniques employed by the Office of the Prosecution and the Defence
• Promote the development of analytical and argumentative skills, as well as effective presentation and utilisation of evidence

The competition is held in two phases. Phase I is the Procedural Test, to be conducted if registration exceeds 18 teams, and is held on an online Google platform. Phase II is the Oral Rounds, held on the premises of SOEL, TNDALU, Chennai. Only the teams that qualify Phase I can advance to Phase II, and only the top 18 teams from each round are eligible for the Oral Rounds.

The language of the competition is English. There is no home team participation, that is, the competition is not open to students of SOEL. The organisers will arrange live streaming of only the finals of the competition, on YouTube, through links provided by Surana & Surana.

The moot proposition is a 39-page criminal trial record shared by both the North and the South Rounds. It carries a description of the documents, a statement of undisputed facts, 13 annexures, statements of prosecution witnesses, statements of defence witnesses and a miscellaneous note.

The 13 annexures are the First Information Report, the Final Report (charge sheet), the Accident Register, the Inquest Report, the Observation Mahazar and Rough Sketch, Recovery Mahazar I, Recovery Mahazar II, Recovery Mahazar III, the Arrest Memo, the Confession Statement, the Post Mortem Report, the Request for Forensic Report and the Forensic Report.

On the undisputed facts, Jamie (45) and Cersei (41) had lived as husband and wife for about 24 years before Cersei left following a quarrel and began residing with her parents and her daughter Myrcella, taking a job at a garment factory. On 3 April 2026 at about 9:30 PM, Cersei was stopped after alighting from a bus at Dorne Bypass Road. Two witnesses, Browne Mani and Telex Pandian, saw a man they identify as Jamie strike her several times on the head with a wooden log, drop the log and flee. Cersei was taken to the local Government Hospital, where she died at 11:00 PM. On 4 April 2026 at 5:00 AM her father Tywin filed a complaint, on which Investigating Officer Mr. Ace Ventura registered an FIR in Crime No. 26/2026 under Sections 126 (Wrongful Restraint) and 103 (Murder) of the Baratheon Nyaya Sanhita. The accused was arrested at 1:30 PM the same day and his confession was recorded at 3:00 PM in the presence of the Village Administrative Officer (VAO) and the Village Assistant. Pursuant to the confession, the police recovered a blood-stained wooden log and a shirt.

The proposition's miscellaneous note records that the criminal laws and all other laws of Baratheon should be interpreted in pari materia with the criminal laws and other laws of India, and that no such fact is pari materia to any country. Teams are requested to draft their own issues for the memorial submissions, and the written submissions made shall not be relied on during the presentation of oral arguments. The disclaimer adds that the modifications and adaptations to the documents in this fictional case are strictly for educational purposes, and that any argument relating to tampering of evidence by the parties with respect to the annexures shall not be entertained.

Queries on the moot proposition must be emailed on or before 25 August 2026 to ssia.soel.trialadvocacy2026@gmail.com with a copy to ai@lawindia.com. A set of final clarifications will be released on 27 August 2026.

Participants should be currently pursuing their bachelor's degree in law, that is either the 3-year LL.B. programme or the 5-year LL.B. programme.

For the South Rounds, the Rules and Regulations state that institutions, law colleges and universities from the South and Western States of India shall participate, including Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Maharashtra, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and the Host Institute of the North Rounds. The announcement post on the Moot Court Association's own site reproduces the same list but omits Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu; teams from that union territory should confirm with the organisers before registering. The competition will not witness any home team participation, that is, it is not for students of SOEL.

• Each team shall consist of a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4 members, and this number cannot be modified under any circumstances
• There can be 2 speakers and 2 researchers designated for each team
• Teams have the option of designating two of their members as speakers for the Prosecution and the other two as speakers for the Defence, and must notify such an arrangement to the court assistants before the commencement of the round. Such a team shall not rearrange the position of its members to form any new combination
• Each team is given a unique Competition code by draw of lots during the orientation. The identity of the teams shall not be disclosed at any stage, and such disclosure invites penalties including disqualification, at the discretion of the Administrator

The dress code is Advocate's attire as described by the Bar Council of India, strictly formals without any college or university logo. Gentlemen: black trousers and white shirt, plain black blazer, black tie. Ladies: black trousers, white shirt, white kurta and black churidar pants, plain black blazer, white or black saree and black jacket. Robes and neck bands are not permitted. Participating teams must also adhere to the dress code while attending the inaugural and valedictory ceremonies.

Teams are requested to provisionally register by sending an email to ssia.soel.trialadvocacy2026@gmail.com, and must then register online at www.moot.in by 25 August 2026. Online registrations opened on 20 July 2026. Participants will receive an acknowledgement cum approval as confirmation of their online registration and participation, periodically after registration.

• A scanned copy of a letter from the participating college, institution or university, duly signed by any one of the Faculty-in-charge of MCS/MCA, Registrar, Principal, Dean, Director, Chancellor or Vice-Chancellor, confirming the names of the participants, the year or semester in which they are studying and that they represent the institution, must be attached during the online registration process. The approval letter must be formatted on the letterhead of the participating institution; alternatively, the registration form appended to the Rules and Regulations may be used
• Registrations without the scanned copy of the approval letter, or a duly attested registration form, will not be valid
• Once online registration is done no change in names is possible. In exceptional circumstances where a change is inevitable, a fresh online registration must be made along with a scanned approval letter clearly explaining the reasons for the change, with the authorised signatory and seal of the institution
• The soft copy of the approval letter must be emailed by 25 August 2026 to ssia.soel.trialadvocacy2026@gmail.com with the subject line "Surana & Surana and Trial Advocacy Moot Court Competition : North / South Rounds 2026-27 - Registration"

What the appended registration form asks for. The form is to be filled in capital letters and carries the date. It asks for the name and address of the participating institution and, for each participant, the Name of the Participant, Gender, Date of Birth, Year & Course, Cell # & eMail ID and Signature. It also asks for a Primary Email id and Contact number, and must carry the seal and signature of the Head of the Institution. Point 2 of the undertaking requires teams to strike out whichever round, North or South, is not applicable.

The undertaking on the form reads: "1. We hereby state that our participation complies with the rules and regulations of the competition. 2. We certify that the materials submitted/to be submitted are prepared by us and agree to indemnify the organizers, i.e. the Surana & Surana International Attorneys, Chennai and Department of Law, University of Jammu (North Rounds) & SOEL, Chennai (South Rounds) for any claim or dispute arising out of the further use and exhibition of these materials."

Procedural Test attendee details. The form separately requires, out of the participants, the Name of the Attendee and the Email ID of the Attendee. The Rules and Regulations state that the test link and meeting credentials shall be shared only to this email ID, so the address entered here must be one the team can actually access on the day of the test.

Fee. A two-tiered registration fee structure applies. All teams wishing to participate pay a base registration fee of Rs 2,006 (Rs 1,700 plus Rs 306 at 18 per cent GST) on or before 25 August 2026. The eighteen teams qualifying for the Oral Rounds pay an additional Rs 2,006 (Rs 1,700 plus Rs 306 at 18 per cent GST) on or before 6 September 2026. Fee once paid will not be refunded. The accommodation fee is separate and is dealt with under Clause XXII of the Rules and Regulations.

The registration fee is to be paid through NEFT to the account published for the South Rounds: Account Name - Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University Moot Court Association; Account Number - 67104604033; Name of the Bank - State Bank of India; Branch Name - PNSB Branch Raja Annamalai Puram; IFSC Code - SBIN0070688; Branch Code - 70688. The payment reference number and date of payment must be mentioned and a scanned copy of the payment receipt attached and sent to ssia.soel.trialadvocacy2026@gmail.com. Only then will the registration be deemed to be complete.

The Procedural Test is to be conducted if registration exceeds 18 teams. It is a qualifying cum eliminating test to select the teams which are theoretically competent in criminal law jurisprudence, and is conducted virtually on 26 August 2026 on a Google platform.

• Format: type - objective and descriptive; number of questions - 25; marks - 50; time - 30 minutes. There shall be negative marking in the test
• Google Forms is used to conduct the test, with proctor monitors appointed by the Administrators. Every 5 teams are administered by a Proctor Monitor on call, vested with the power and duty to ensure that the team does not engage in any unfair means
• The attendee of the test shall be any one of the team members as marked in the registration form and can be decided at the discretion of the team. Any attempt to change the attendee in the midst of the test, or a request to do so, shall not be entertained
• The attendee should stay on the Google Meet with their camera turned on

Unfair means. Unfair means shall include, but is not restricted to: (i) resorting to or attempting to refer to any material during the test; (ii) seeking any help from a person who is not an attendee of the test; and (iii) turning off the camera for more than 3 seconds. For heads (i) and (ii), the rules state that the team shall be warned every time through the chat box in the Meet if it violates the clause. For head (iii), violation of the rule more than 3 times shall lead to immediate disqualification of the team.

Scores of the test shall be communicated through mail within 24 to 48 hours of the test, and the results of the Procedural Test are listed for release on 26 August 2026. Only the top 18 teams of this test advance to the next phase. If any team among the qualifying 18 backs out or expresses an interest not to appear in the Phase II rounds, the team adjacent to the finally qualifying team is reached out to, to fill the vacancy.

Phase II consists of two Preliminary Rounds of argument, a Quarter Final, a Semi Final and a Final round. The organisers reserve the right to amend the schedule and rounds as per the number of participating teams. For the South Rounds, the orientation, draw of lots and memorial exchange are on 25 September 2026, the Preliminary Rounds I and II and the Quarter Finals on 26 September 2026, and the Semi Finals, Finals, Valedictory and Awards Distribution on 27 September 2026.

Preliminary Rounds. There will be two preliminary rounds of argument per team, once for the Prosecution and another for the Defence. No team will face each other more than once in the Preliminary Rounds, and each team will face a different two-judge bench in its second round. The top eight teams from the Preliminary Rounds advance to the Quarter Finals, decided on win points, then win points plus aggregate raw points, and in case of a tie, win points plus aggregate raw points minus memorial marks. The rules define aggregate raw points as oral scores plus memorial score. Memorial marks are added to the scores of the Preliminary Rounds only. Draw of lots or power match decides the side of the arguments in the Quarter Finals, Semi Finals and Finals; the Quarter Final and Semi Final are knockout rounds.

Ex-parte rounds in Preliminary Rounds I and II. In case of a last-minute withdrawal or an internet connectivity issue of any team during the on-campus or virtual session, the other opposing team as per the competition fixture will put forth their submissions to the bench and will be scored accordingly. Win points will not be applicable for such a round. The aggregate raw points, that is oral scores plus memorial scores, of the team that presented will be taken into records as valid. If a dummy team is available from the host institution, it will be permitted to represent on behalf of the non-available team so as to avoid an ex-parte round, and that round will then be considered a competitive round; however, the dummy team will not advance even if it wins the round. On qualification to the Quarter Finals, the team with at least 1 win point plus maximum aggregate raw points will qualify for the advance round, subject to the top eight teams qualifying with 2 win points and 1 win point with the higher aggregate raw points.

Time allocation in the Preliminary Rounds and Quarter Finals. Each team gets a total of 45 minutes to present its case, and every minute of extra time attracts automatic penalties for the speaker crossing the limit. The split is: opening statement by the Prosecution 5 minutes; opening statement by the Defence 5 minutes; examination in chief by the Prosecution 12 minutes; cross examination by the Defence 20 minutes; examination in chief by the Defence 12 minutes; cross examination by the Prosecution 20 minutes; closing statement by the Prosecution 8 minutes; closing statement by the Defence 8 minutes. The allotted time for each segment is the maximum that the respective speaker can avail of.

Time allocation in the Semi Finals and Finals. Each team gets a total of 55 minutes. The split is: opening statements 5 minutes each side; examination in chief 15 minutes each side; cross examination 25 minutes each side; closing statements 10 minutes each side.

Speaker roles and intimation. Each speaker shall conduct either the chief or the cross examination and deliver either the opening or the closing statement, so each speaker compulsorily conducts an examination and delivers a statement. For the Preliminary Rounds and Quarter Finals, the order of speakers and the examination and statements they would present is to be intimated by the teams before the commencement of the rounds and cannot be altered at any subsequent stage. For the Semi Final and Final Rounds, the same intimation is to be made after the announcement of the preliminary round results and cannot be altered at any subsequent stage of the competition.

General rules of the oral rounds. Exhibits of the case are already before the Honourable Court. The minimum number of witnesses to be examined upon will be disclosed during the orientation. Teams may examine all, or the minimum prescribed number of, witnesses within the time allotted to them. Teams should, before the commencement of a round, notify the court officers as to which of the witnesses they would examine in the course of the trial. Each participating team chooses its witness team through draw of lots during the orientation, and the same witness team travels along with the participating team from the Preliminary Rounds until the team's progress rounds during the competition. The host institution provides the witnesses, who are generally briefed and assigned by the administrator, and each team has an opportunity to specifically brief its witnesses. The oral arguments need not be confined to the issues presented in the submitted memorials.

Recording of evidence. The team members should take notes of the questions and answers during the chief and cross examinations.

Results. Results will be announced within 30 minutes after the full completion of the respective Preliminary, Quarter Final or Semi Final rounds. The final result and the winners of the various categories will be announced only during the valediction and prize distribution ceremony. The rules add that the results of the Preliminary Rounds are announced shortly after both rounds are completed, the results of the Quarter Final and Semi Final rounds shortly after those rounds are completed, and the winners during the Awards Ceremony.

Scouting. Teams will not be allowed to observe the orals of any other team. Scouting is strictly prohibited and scouting by any team will result in disqualification. Any team can file a written complaint with the Administrator regarding a case of scouting, and the Administrator's decision will be final. The researchers shall sit with the speakers at the time of the orals and shall not attend the court sessions of any other team participating in the competition.

The requirements for memorials must be strictly followed and non-conformities will be penalised. Each team must prepare memorials for both parties to the dispute, Prosecution and Defence, and must also prepare all the documents required to prosecute or defend as suggested in the proposition. Those documents are part of the memorial; judges will refer to them while evaluating the team's performance during the Oral Rounds, and they will also be used by the opposing teams for counter arguments. Once the memorials have been submitted, no revisions, supplements or additions will be allowed.

• The soft copy of the memorials for the Prosecution and the Defence should be mailed to ssia.soel.trialadvocacy2026@gmail.com for the South Rounds, with a copy to ai@lawindia.com, on or before 6 September 2026 latest by 5:00 PM, carrying the temporary team code
• The soft copy and the hard copy of the memorial submitted shall be the same and identical in all aspects. If any change is found, the memorial shall be rejected and no marks shall be awarded
• Teams must carry 5 copies from each side, Prosecution and Defence, and submit them during registration on campus for the Oral Rounds on 25 September 2026. Participants should mention their Competition code only on the hard copy, once it is allotted during the orientation
• The memorial must contain the table of contents; the index of authorities; the statement of jurisdiction; the statement of facts (1 page only, and an argumentative statement of facts would attract penalties); the statement of charges; the summary of arguments (not more than 1 page); the arguments advanced (not more than 15 pages); and the prayer
• Font size Times New Roman 12 at one-and-a-half space for the body, and Times New Roman 10 at single space for footnotes with double space between two footnotes. Substantive footnoting is strictly prohibited. Citation method: The Bluebook / Harvard Law Review, 20th edition / ILI / A Uniform System of Citation
• Margin of one inch on all sides of each page; page numbering on the top right side of each page
• Covers: Prosecution light blue, Defence light red. The cover page must state, on the top right corner, the team code on the soft copy or the competition code on the hard copy, plus the cause title and the identity of the brief as Prosecution or Defence
• Memorials should be spiral, staple bound or stitched. Any other form of binding shall not be accepted
• The identity of the institution shall not be revealed anywhere in the memorial. Violation results in penalties including disqualification, and the National Administrator's decision shall be final
• Teams may share a separate paper book (compendium) of not more than 50 pages carrying all the annexures and case laws referred to in the memorial, with a white cover, and may submit 3 hard copies for the on-campus rounds. Any identifying marks or seal of the college or university attracts severe penalties including disqualification, and the Chief Administrator's decision shall be final

Scoring. Memorial scores are added to the oral scores obtained by the participants in the Preliminary Rounds only. Orals are judged on a scale of 0 to 70 points on knowledge of facts; logic and reasoning, clarity, articulate and systematic analysis of the issues arising out of the facts; persuasiveness and deference to court; understanding of the laws of evidence and procedure; ability to successfully conduct chief and cross examinations in the allotted time; ability to elicit favourable facts from witnesses; and ingenuity, that is the ability to argue by analogy and innovate. Written submissions are judged on a scale of 0 to 60 points on originality in analysis of issues; logical progression of ideas and clear, precise and unambiguous writing style; proper and articulate analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the case; understanding of the legal principles directly applicable to the issues; presentation of arguments with appropriate citations; and variety and depth of research. Any revisions, supplements or additions to the memorials after submission attract severe penalties at the discretion of the Administrator, and non-compliance with the memorial rules in Clause XIII attracts penalties for each non-conformity.

Anonymity in court. The student counsel may introduce himself or herself to the court in the usual manner and may also state their names. However, the team's college affiliation shall not be indicated to the judges at any time. All team members, coaches, advisors and observers shall refrain from identifying a team's college at any time and in any manner, including but not limited to wearing any identifying items such as college clothing, ties, patches or pins, or carrying identifying material such as a book with a college logo or college seal.

Conduct. Misbehaviour of any sort by the participants will be dealt with very seriously and will lead to disqualification.

Accommodation. Accommodation will be provided only during the period of the competition, by the School of Excellence in Law, Chennai, from 25 September 2026 (12:00 PM IST) until 27 September 2026 (5:00 PM IST). It is available on an individual basis, and each participant opting for accommodation pays Rs 1,416 (Rs 1,200 plus Rs 216 at 18 per cent GST) per night on or before 6 September 2026 latest by 5:00 PM IST. The Organizing Committee is responsible only for providing accommodation for the two nights falling within the official competition period, and the prescribed fee applies only to those two nights. Any delay in checkout or request for an extended stay beyond this duration is at the participant's own risk and expense. The accommodation fee is non-refundable. Separate sleeping arrangements for boys and girls are strictly enforced in the allocated rooms, with common areas available to all participants for preparation. Extra members over and above the prescribed number will not be entertained or accommodated under any circumstances.

Transport. Shuttle services will be provided to transport participants between their designated accommodation and the college campus, and the specific schedule and pick-up or drop-off locations will be communicated to registered participants closer to the competition date. The name and mobile number of the student volunteers in charge of transport and accommodation will be made available after finalisation. Teams should fill in their travel plan in the sheet at Annexure B of the Rules and Regulations, which asks for the name of the institution, the team code, arrival details (mode of arrival by train, air or bus; train, bus or flight number; estimated time of arrival), departure details in the same form, and any other details. The scanned copy must reach the organisers by 5:00 PM IST on or before 6 September 2026 by email to ssia.soel.trialadvocacy2026@gmail.com.

Copyright. The copyright over the memorials submitted for participation is assigned by the participants and vests completely and fully in Surana & Surana International Attorneys, Chennai and SOEL, Chennai for the South Rounds. The participants shall certify in writing the originality of the materials contained in the memorials and shall be responsible for any claim or dispute arising out of the further use and exhibition of these materials. Further use and exhibition of these materials, electronically or otherwise, is the exclusive right of Surana & Surana International Attorneys and SOEL, and they shall not be responsible for any liability to any person for any loss caused by errors or omissions in the collection of information, or for the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in these materials. Distribution of these materials in print or on affiliated websites such as www.moot.in does not constitute consent to any use of the material for commercial redistribution.

A note on the two published email addresses. The Rules and Regulations use ssia.soel.trialadvocacy2026@gmail.com for the South Rounds throughout, for the approval letter, the payment receipt, the memorials, the travel plan and queries on the proposition. The announcement post separately publishes surana.soel.trialadvocacy2026@gmail.com under the heading "Correspondence / Contact Details". Teams should use the ssia address for anything the rulebook routes there and treat the surana address as the general correspondence line. On the announcement page the hyperlink behind the provisional-registration address points to an ssia.soel.trialadvocacy2025@gmail.com address, which does not match the 2026 address printed alongside it or the address used in the rulebook; type the 2026 address rather than clicking through.