Bar Association Of India Hosts 2nd New Delhi International Rule Of Law Convention
The Bar Association of India (BAI) hosted the 2nd New Delhi International Rule of Law Convention 2025 at the India Habitat Centre on August 30–31. The event brought together jurists, scholars, and leaders of the bar from over 33 jurisdictions to deliberate on contemporary issues concerning law, justice, and governance. The theme of the convention was “Global Economic Governance and...
The Bar Association of India (BAI) hosted the 2nd New Delhi International Rule of Law Convention 2025 at the India Habitat Centre on August 30–31. The event brought together jurists, scholars, and leaders of the bar from over 33 jurisdictions to deliberate on contemporary issues concerning law, justice, and governance. The theme of the convention was “Global Economic Governance and Principles of the Rule of Law.”
The event was graced by the presence of the following
- International Bar Association (IBA)
- Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA)
- LAWASIA
- Indonesia Advocates Association (PERADI)
- Union Internationale des Avocats (UIA)
- Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO)
- Federal Council of the Brazilian Bar Association
- Bar Council of Bhutan
- Bar Association of the Kingdom of Cambodia
- The Law Society of Brunei Darussalam
- District of Columbia Bar
- Côte d'Ivoire Bar Association
- The Bar Association of Egypt
- Emirates Association for Lawyers and Legal
- The German Federal Bar
- The Law Society of Hong Kong
- Bar Association of Kongo Central, DRC
- Korean Bar Association
- Macau Lawyers Association
- Malaysian Bar
- Association of Mongolian Advocates
- Nepal Bar Association
- Law Society of New Zealand
- Paris Bar Association
- Association of Lawyers of Russia
- Sabah Law Society
- Advocates Association of Sarawak
- Bar Association of Seychelles
- The Law Society of Singapore
- The Bar Association of Sri Lanka
- Sri Lanka National Arbitration Centre
- Taiwan Bar Association
- LexisNexis
- Rule of Law Programme Asia, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung
- Institute for the Development of Commercial Law and Practice (ICLP) and amongst others.
In the inaugural session, Justice N. Kotiswar Singh delivered the address as Guest of Honour. He spoke on the importance of due process as a central feature of the rule of law, noting that life and liberty cannot be taken away even in cases involving grave crimes, without following the same. He referred to the 26/11 Mumbai terror trial as an example of due process being observed even in the most difficult circumstances.
The Chief Guest, Justice J.K. Maheshwari, spoke on the evolution of the rule of law in Indian jurisprudence. He contrasted the ADM Jabalpur ruling during the Emergency with its later overruling in the Puttaswamy judgment, and also referred to the decisions of certain High Courts during the Emergency that held fundamental rights could not be suspended.
The inaugural session was also attended by Justice V. Ramasubramanian, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission, Justice Manish Pitale, Judge, High Court of Bombay and Justice Aniruddha P. Mayee, Judge, High Court of Gujarat.
A commemorative volume titled The Indian Advocate: Supreme Court at 75 – The Journey So Far was released on the occasion. The volume contains 32 essays by judges, academics, and practitioners, including Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, Justice (Retd.) Dipak Misra, and Prof. Upendra Baxi. The Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Anindita Pujari, acknowledged the contributions of the Judges of the Supreme Court, Chief Justices of High Courts, and the authors, and thanked the Editorial Board of the Bar Association of India including its Chairman Mr. Prashant Kumar and Associate Editor Mr. Shaileshwar Yadav, the Supreme Court Observer and Mohan Law House, for their efforts.
The programme included a plenary session and five working sessions:
Plenary Session, chaired by Justice Kotiswar Singh, considered topics including the Indian tradition of the rule of law, cross-border terrorism, Asia–Africa legal cooperation, and principles of international economic justice. The session saw keynote speeches from Mr. Nitin Thakker, Justice V. Ramasubramanian, Mr. R. Venkataramani, Attorney General for India, H.E. Dr. Kamalinne Pinitpuvadol, Secretary General, Asia Africa Legal Consultative Organization, Mr. Andre Haug, Vice President, German Federal Bar and Mr. Prashant Kumar, President, The Bar Association of India.
Working Session I, chaired by Mr. C.S. Vaidyanathan, discussed Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations and the impact of over-compliance on financial inclusion in the Global South. In the session speakers were Mr. Prashant Kumar, President, The Bar Association of India, Ms. Lisa Sam Hui Min, President, Law Society of Singapore, Mr. Roden M.L. Tong, President, Law Society of Hong Kong, Ms. Kateryna Boguslavska, Project Manger Basel AML Index, Basel Institute of Governance, Switzerland and Mr. Divino Sabino, President, the Bar Association of Seychelles.
Working Session II, chaired by Justice Subramonium Prasad, examined digital governance and the rule of law, focusing on the opportunities of e-governance and challenges relating to privacy, surveillance, and cyber security. The session saw contribution from Mr. S.S. Naganand, Vice President, The Bar Association, Mr. Roger Chin, Former President, Sabah Law Society, Ms. Vanessa Bousardo, Vice President, Paris Bar Association, Ms. Gaythri Raman, Managing Director, India & SEA, LexisNexis and Mr. Amarjit Singh Bedi, Hony. General Secretary, The Bar Association.
Working Session III, chaired by Justice Manish Pitale, addressed the sovereign debt crisis and its social and legal implications, particularly in the Global South. Speakers in the session were Mr. Jaideep Gupta, Vice President, The Bar Association of India, Mr. Steven Thiru, President, Commonwealth Lawyers Association, Dr. Mohamed Hassanein, Member, Egypt Bar and Vice President, PALU, Mr. Hiran M.C. de Alwis, Chairman, Board of Governors, Sri Lanka National Arbitration Centre and Dr. Manoj Panda, Full-time Member of the Sixteenth Finance Commission.
Working Session IV, chaired by Justice Aniruddha P. Mayee, dealt with commercial dispute resolution and the need for developing countries to enhance institutional capacity to participate in global mechanisms. The session saw contribution from Mr. Yakesh Anand, Vice President, The Bar Association of India, Mr. Amarjit Singh Chandhiok, President-Elect, The Bar Association of India, Ms. Cha Mi Vu, Head of the Department for International Development, Association of Lawyers of Russia, Mr. Bruno Barata Magalhaes, Vice President, Federal Council of the Brazilian Bar Association and Mr. Bijaya Prasad Mishra, President, Nepal Bar Association.
Working Session V, chaired by Justice Prakash Shrivastava, examined climate justice and finance, considering equity and fairness as central principles in global policy and financing arrangements. The session saw contribution from Mr. Shyam Divan, President, LAWASIA & Vice President, The Bar Association of India, Dr. Jorg Menzer, Vice President, International Bar Association (IBA), Mrs. Cherine Luzaisu Lusienge, President, Bar Association of Kongo Central, DRC and Mr. Adil Fakhir, Board Member, Emirates Association for Lawyers and Legal.
The Bar Association of India convened bilateral meetings with the following Bar Associations, culminating in the signing of Memorandum of Understanding:
The Bar Association of India signed Memorandum of Understanding with the Macau Lawyers Association on 28.08.2025.
The Bar Association of India signed Memorandum of Understanding with the Sabah Law Society on 28.08.2025.
The Bar Association of India signed Memorandum of Understanding with the Association of Mongolian Advocates on 28.08.2025.
The Bar Association of India signed Memorandum of Understanding with the Paris Bar Association on 29.08.2025.
The Bar Association of India signed Memorandum of Understanding with the Law Society of Brunei Darussalam on 29.08.2025.
The Bar Association of India signed Memorandum of Understanding with the Bar Association of Egypt on 30.08.2025.
The Bar Association of India signed Memorandum of Understanding with the District of Columbia Bar on 30.08.2025.
The Bar Association of India signed Memorandum of Understanding with the Bar Association of Seychelles on 30.08.2025.
The Bar Association of India signed Memorandum of Understanding with the Côte d'Ivoire Bar Association on 30.08.2025.
The Bar Association of India signed Memorandum of Understanding with the Bar Association of Kongo Central, DRC on 31.08.2025.
The Bar Association of India signed Memorandum of Understanding with the Emirates Association for Lawyers and Legal on 31.08.2025.
The convention concluded with a Bar Leaders' General Assembly chaired by Mr. Prashant Kumar, President of the Bar Association of India, the Assembly saw deliberation from all the Bar Leaders present in the Convention.
The closing ceremony of the Convention witnesses the presence of Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya, Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, who was the Chief Guest, and Justice Sibo Sankar Mishra, Judge of the High Court of Orissa, who was the Guest of Honour.