Students take part in the debate in Patna on Sunday. Picture by Ranjeet Kumar Dey

Delhi University Cross, a team comprising three students from Kirorimal College, Hindu College and Hans Raj College, won the 6th Chanakya National Law University (CNLU) National Parliamentary Debate, which started on October 10.

The motion of the debate in the final was “This house will scrap the collegium system of appointing judges in India”. The winners, speaking in favour of the motion, defeated Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University (RMLNLU). Patna High Court judge Justice Ajay Kumar Tripathi awarded the winners.

The last three days saw budding lawyers from premier national law universities and other institutions exhibit their oratory and debating skills. Delhi University Cross had defeated another Delhi University team in the semi-finals to enter the final. In the other semi-final, RMLNLU defeated a team from Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur.

Altogether, 26 teams from premier national law universities such as the National Law Institute University, Bhopal, Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur, Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow, National Law University Odisha, Cuttack, St Stephen’s College (Delhi University), Kirorimal College, Shaheed Bhagat Singh (DU), Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai and NIT Rourkela participated.

Giving the inaugural address, CNLU vice-chancellor A. Lakshminath had thrown light on the genesis of parliamentary system and historic developments since the Roman era. He stressed on the need to hone up polemic and argumentative skills for a vibrant parliamentary debating tradition which seems to be on a steady decline. CNLU registrar S.P. Singh said: “Such debates help sharpen students’ skills.”

The CNLU administration had invited Akshay B.D. a National Law University (New Delhi) product and Prasoon Bhaiya, a graduate from Rashtreeya Vidyalaya College of Engineering, Bangalore, to conduct the debates. The theme of every debate was announced just 30 minutes in advance. The themes ranged from fashion, politics, governance, international relations to information technology.

The winning team gets prize money of Rs 60,000 and the runners-up Rs 30,000. The best speaker in the final gets Rs 15,000. Manas Pandey, CNLU student and coordinator, said: “CNLU being host, doesn’t participate in the contest.”