VIVEKANANDA INSTITUTE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES-TC

(Affiliated to Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Recognized by Bar Council of India & AICTE), NBA
Accredited for MCA programme, Recognized under Section 2(f) by UGC, An ISO 9001:2015 Certified Institution,
Grade A++ Accredited Institution by NAAC

ADVOCATES’ LEGION, MOOT COURT COMMITTEE,

VIVEKANANDA SCHOOL OF LAW AND LEGAL STUDIES

presents

8th ARGUENDO MOOT COURT

COMPETITION, 2024
16th May 2024

BROCHURE

FOR ANY QUERIES, CONTACT:

Ms. Kashish Gulati, Student Co- Convener: +91 9643512190

Mr. Hardik Giri, Student Co- Convener: +91 9599422383
Ms. Arshia Jain, Student Co- Convener: +91 7042208339
Ms. Srijaa Grover, Student Coordinator: +91 8447352099
Mr. Divay Kakkar, Student Coordinator: +91 9718375912
Mr. Divesh Gupta, Student Coordinator: +91 9911261888

Reach out to us at:- advocateslegionevents2024@gmail.com

 INDEX

S.NO DETAILS PAGE NO.

1. ABOUT 8th ARGUENDO MOOT COURT 1

COMPETITION 2024

2. EVENT SCHEDULE 3

3. MEMORIAL RULES 4

4. ORAL ROUNDS 7

5. AWARDS 10

6. REGISTRATION 10

7. EXEMPLARY POWER CLAUSE 11

8. PENALTIES 12

9. CLARIFICATIONS 12

10. COMPOSITION OF ORGANISING COMMITTEE 13

11. MOOT PROPOSITION 14

 1

ABOUT 8th ARGUENDO MOOT COURT COMPETITION 2024

Advocates’ Legion is the Moot Court Committee of Vivekananda School of Law and Legal Studies,
Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies, affiliated with Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University
which organises a range of events over the year to enhance legal skills and to provide an unmediated
courtroom experience. Some of the many events organised include the International Moot Court
Competition, Intra Moot Court Competition, Arguendo Moot Court Competition, Mock-Trial Competition
and many more.

The annual Arguendo Moot Court Competition, stands as a testament to the institute's unwavering
commitment to imparting practical insights into legal proceedings and courtroom dynamics for the students
of 1st Year. The Moot Court Committee, renowned for cultivating advocacy skills, skilfully curates an
intellectually stimulating and competitive atmosphere for law students through this prestigious event.
Advocates' Legion has seamlessly organised 7 successful editions of the competition, drawing participation
from over 200 students each year. With an unyielding belief in its success, Advocates' Legion is now poised
to proudly host the 8th Edition, continuing its tradition of providing an unparalleled platform for legal
education elevating the standards and impact of the event.

The Arguendo Moot Court Competition serves as an inclusive platform, drawing participants from various
academic years within the institution. This inclusive approach fosters a vibrant atmosphere of competition
and camaraderie, welcoming the 1st year law students to engage actively. The underlying concept is to
provide students with a firsthand experience of courtroom dynamics, setting the foundation from the start.
The event is carefully crafted to simulate an authentic courtroom experience, offering participants the
opportunity to exhibit their legal acumen, showcase research skills, and demonstrate their prowess in
advocacy. The competition is unfolded over a designated period having multiple rounds including the
preliminary round, quarter final round, semi-final round and final round enabling participants to engage in
intense legal arguments and debates. A proper set of guidelines and rules are followed by the participants
throughout the competition.

The Moot Court Committee crafts a compelling moot problem that delves into contemporary legal issues.
This challenges participants to analyse and present arguments on complex matters, testing their
understanding of substantive law, procedural nuances, and their ability to apply legal principles to practical
scenarios. Previous Moot Court Problems/Propositions have been based majorly upon Constitution Law
and Criminal Laws, thereby ensuring the generality of the issue.
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A distinguished panel of judges, comprising legal professionals, academicians, and experts in the field, are
engaged to oversee the competition. The judges bring a wealth of experience to the event, providing
valuable feedback and constructive criticism to the participants.

The Arguendo Moot Court Competition offers participants a platform to enhance their advocacy and
research skills. It allows them to refine their ability to think on their feet, construct persuasive arguments,
and respond effectively to queries from the bench. Additionally, participants have the opportunity to
network with legal professionals, creating avenues for mentorship and career development.

In conclusion, the Arguendo Moot Court Competition by providing a platform for 1st year law students to
hone their advocacy skills and engage in meaningful legal discourse, the event significantly contributes to
the overall development of future lawyers. The competition not only fosters healthy competition but also
facilitates an environment where students can learn, grow, and excel in their legal pursuits.
 3

RULEBOOK - 8th ARGUENDO MOOT COURT

COMPETITION, 2024

I. EVENT SCHEDULE

1. April 24, 2024 : Registrations Open

2. April 24, 2024 : Release of Moot Problem
3. April 29, 2024 : Last date for seeking Clarifications (till 12 pm)
4. May 01, 2024 : Last Date for Registration
5. May 07, 2024 : Publishing of Clarifications
6. May 13, 2024 : Last Date for Memorial Submission (Soft Copy)
7. May 14, 2024 : Last Date for Memorial Submission (Hard Copy)
8. May 14, 2023 : Draw of lots
9. May 16, 2024 : Oral Rounds

II. RULES OF THE COMPETITION

❖ Memorial:- It means the written arguments submitted, on behalf of both the Parties, according to
the official competition rules by each team.

❖ Oral Round:- It refers to a team’s pleadings, comprising of both the speakers, submitted orally
in front of the judges on behalf of one of the parties against another team representing the opposite
party.

❖ Team Code:- Team Code refers to the unique number allotted to each participating team for this
competition which will be mailed to the participant accordingly after registration.

❖ Parties:- It refers to the parties to the matter as identified by the moot problem as Prosecution
and Defence.

❖ Eligibility and Team Participation:-

The team shall comprise two (2) speakers and one (1) researcher. One team may also take part with
two (2) speakers only. The students from only the second semester from B.A.LL.B and BBA.LL.B
are eligible to participate in the competition.
 4

❖ Attire:-

- Black tie is compulsory for all those who are wearing white shirts and black trousers.
- The dress code for the competition shall be strictly formal. Teams are not permitted to wear
neck bands or Advocate Gowns for the Competition.
- The Participants, particularly for the Oral Rounds and Valedictory & Prize Distribution, are
to adhere to the following dress code only:
a. Gentlemen - Black trousers, White shirt, Plain Black Blazer and Black Tie.
b. Ladies- Black trousers, White Shirt/White Kurta and Black pants, Plain Black Blazer and
tie in case the participant is wearing a shirt.

❖ Anonymity:-

- The Participants should introduce themselves to the court only by their individual team code
only.
- The teams should not mention at any time their respective Semester/Section.
- The violation of this rule will result in disqualification, as determined by the Organising
Committee.

III. MEMORIAL RULES

A. GENERAL RULES
1. The participants will prepare the memorials on behalf of Both sides, i.e., the
Petitioner/Applicant and the Respondent.
2. The memorials shall not contain any annexure, photograph, graph, diagram or any other
representation of like nature.
3. The memorials shall not contain any form of identification apart from the team code. If any
such identification or mark, symbol, etc. which has the effect of identifying the team is
found on the memorial, then it shall result in instant disqualification.
4. All teams shall send one copy of the memorials in .docx format (Microsoft Office) as well
as .pdf format on or before 13th May 2024, 11:59 PM, with the subject as ‘Memorial
Submission for <Team Code>. All the files (.docx and .pdf) should be sent through a
single mail to advocateslegionevents2024@gmail.com.
 5

5. The Soft Copy of the memorials are to be submitted by 13th May 2024 at 11:59 P.M. The
same will not be accepted afterwards and the team shall be forfeited from the Competition.
6. Five hard copies of each of the memorials on behalf of both sides shall be submitted to the
Organizing Committee on the day of the Draw of Lots, i.e., 14th May 2024.
7. The hard copy of the memorial must be a replica of the soft copy submitted to the
Organizers. Any difference in the same will result in disqualification from the Competition.
Memorial once submitted will be considered final, and cannot be revised.
8. In the scenario where any memorial is sent in late, the penalty for late submission on the
latter memorial will be imposed. Penalty shall also be imposed if the aforementioned
documents are sent in separate emails.
9. Assistance to a team from other team(s) or third parties: Teams are not permitted to
receive substantive assistance towards the preparation of memorials or arguments from any
third parties, including teachers, members of the organizing committee etc. Any team found
indulging in such assistance from third parties shall be immediately disqualified from the
competition.

B. FORMAT OF MEMORIAL SUBMISSION

a. Each participating team is required to prepare a memorial for each party to the dispute with
the following MANDATORY heads:
● Cover Page
● Table of Contents
● Index of Authorities
● Statement of Jurisdiction
● Statement of Facts (not exceeding 2 Pages)
● Issues Raised
● Summary of Arguments (not exceeding 2 Pages)
● Arguments Advanced (not exceeding 12 Pages)
● Final Submission/Prayer (not exceeding 1Page)

b. Teams shall cite authorities using footnotes 21st BLUEBOOK Citation style.
 6

c. The following colour schemes MUST be followed for the cover page of the memorial:
● Petitioner/Appellant - BLUE
● Respondent - RED

d. The Cover Page of each memorial must contain ONLY the following information:

● The Team Code in the upper right corner of each memorial

● The name of the Court
● The name of the Competition
● The party for which the memorial is prepared

e. All parts of the memorial (including headers, footers and headings) shall be typed on A4

sized paper/format, with the following Formatting Specifications:

● Font Type: Times New Roman

● Font Size: 12
● Line Spacing: 1.5
● Margins: 1 inch on each side

For footnotes, the Formatting Specifications are:

● Font Type: Times New Roman Font Size: 10

● Single Spacing between lines
● Margins: 1 inch on each side
● Speaking footnotes or endnotes are not allowed.

C. COMPENDIUM

● The Participating Teams are allowed to submit all relevant case laws and statutory material
in the form of a Compendium to the Judges during the Oral Rounds.
● The same must be submitted to the Organising Committee latest by the day of Draw of Lots
i.e 14th May, 2024

D. SCORING CRITERIA OF SUBMITTED MEMORIALS

Every Memorial will be marked on a total of 100 marks and the team memorial marks will be the
average of the total of both sides.
 7

S. NO. MARKING SCHEME MARKS ALLOTTED

1. Knowledge of Facts & Law 20 Marks

2. Extent & Use of Research 20 Marks

3. Drafting Skills 15 Marks

4. Originality in Presentation 15 Marks

5. Coherency 10 Marks

6. Grammar and Style 10 Marks

7. Original Thought 10 Marks

GRAND TOTAL 100 Marks

E. RIGHT OVER THE MEMORIALS SUBMITTED

The Faculty Convener and the Organizing Committee reserve the right to disseminate and reproduce
the memorials for the Competition. Submission of memorials in this competition will constitute the
consent of the teams to such dissemination and reproduction. The Faculty Convener and the
Organizing Committee will not be responsible for any mistakes that are a part of the memorial.

IV. ORAL ROUNDS

A. GENERAL RULES
1. Oral rounds shall comprise the Preliminary Round followed by Advanced Rounds
(Quarters, Semis and the Grand Final).
2. The Preliminary round of the Competition as well as the subsequent rounds will be
conducted offline within the college premises itself.
3. A Draw of Lots & Exchange of Memorials shall take place prior to the Oral Rounds.
Based on the result of the Draw of Lots, sides would be allotted to the teams for the
Preliminary Round. Each team would have to argue once according to the allotted side.
4. Teams are prohibited from making any marks on the opponent’s Written Submissions
thus exchanged. Teams are also prohibited from making any copies of the opponent’s
Written Submission, electronically or otherwise.
 8

5. Teams shall notify the Court Master of the division of time between the 2 Speakers for
the specific time provided for Oral Submission and Rebuttal/Sur-rebuttal prior to the
commencement of the Rounds.
6. While granting additional time, if the additional number of minutes granted is not
specified by the Judges, it shall be presumed that the additional time granted is 2 minutes.
Adherence to the time limit is mandatory.
7. In case the team is unable to report to the designated Courtroom and notify the Court
master of their presence at the beginning of the round, the team shall be disqualified from
the Competition and the Round will continue as an ex-parte (if the opposite team is
present) round or as per the discretion of the Organisers.

B. SPEAKING TIME FOR ORAL ROUNDS

Each speaker prior to the beginning of the Oral Round, has to inform the Court Master regarding the
bifurcation of their speaking time amongst the First Speaker, Second Speaker along with the time
reserved for the Rebuttal/Sur-rebuttal.

1. Preliminary Rounds

The speaking time for each time during the oral rounds shall be 15 minutes, subject to a maximum of
8 minutes per speaker and a maximum of 1 minute for rebuttal/sur-rebuttal if permitted. (Note: The
1 minute for rebuttal/sur-rebuttal shall be inclusive of the time reserved for the arguments by the
speaker.)

Only one speaker shall be permitted to take the Rebuttal/Sur-Rebuttal in each round. No single
Speaker shall argue for more than eight minutes, including Rebuttal or Sur- rebuttal in the Oral
Round.

2. Quarter-Final Round

The speaking time for each time during the oral rounds shall be 20 minutes, subject to maximum of
11 minutes per speaker and maximum of 3 minutes for rebuttal and 1 minute for sur-rebuttal, if
permitted. (Note: The 3 minutes for rebuttal and 1 minute for the sur-rebuttal shall be inclusive of
the time reserved for the arguments by the speaker.). Only one speaker shall be permitted to take
the Rebuttal/Sur-Rebuttal in each round.
 9

3. Semi-Final Round

The speaking time for each time during the oral rounds shall be 25 minutes, subject to maximum of
14 minutes per speaker and maximum of 3 minutes for rebuttal and 1 minute for sur-rebuttal, if
permitted. (Note: The 3 minutes for rebuttal and 1 minute for the sur-rebuttal shall be inclusive of
the time reserved for the arguments by the speaker.). Only one speaker shall be permitted to take
the Rebuttal/Sur-Rebuttal in each round.

4. Final Round

The speaking time for each time during the oral rounds shall be 30 minutes, subject to maximum of
15 minutes per speaker and maximum of 3 minutes for rebuttal and 2 minutes for sur-rebuttal, if
permitted. (Note: The 3 minutes for rebuttal and 2 minutes for the sur-rebuttal shall be inclusive
of the time reserved for the arguments by the speaker.). Only one speaker shall be permitted to take
the Rebuttal/Sur-Rebuttal in each round.

C. MARKING CRITERIA FOR ORAL ROUNDS

S, NO, MARKING SCHEME MARKS ALLOTTED

1. Knowledge of Facts & Law 20 Marks

2. Application of Law to Facts and Interpretation 20 Marks

3. Ingenuity and ability to answer questions 15 Marks

4. Presentation Skills 15 Marks

5. Time Management and Organization 10 Marks

6. Court Etiquette 10 Marks

7. Logical coherency in Arguments 10 Marks

GRAND TOTAL 100 Marks

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V. AWARDS

The following shall be the prizes announced:

1. Best Team (Winning Team)

2. Runner-up Team
3. Best Speaker
4. Best Researcher

VI. REGISTRATION

A. REGISTRATION PROCESS

1. The team shall submit duly completed registration form by 1st May 2024 by 11:59 p.m.

2. All participants shall get an individual code by the committee after completion of
registration process. Thereafter, the team shall use their designated individual code for any
further correspondence.

B. FOR PARTICIPANTS

1. Registration for the 8th Arguendo Moot Court Competition 2024 will be through online
form submission via the following link - https://forms.gle/wTRD6feEFyn6MmxeA

2. The Registration Fee is Rs. 450/- per team and shall be paid through the QR Code available
below: Payment Link: https://forms.eduqfix.com/eventfee/add

3. The Participants have to mention the Full name of the Event in "Activity", i.e., '8th
ARGUENDO MOOT COURT COMPETITION 2024'.

4. Proof of payment (with all details like reference code etc.) is to be attached along with the
registration form.
 11

PAYMENT QR CODE

VII. EXEMPLARY POWER CLAUSE

A. The decision of the Judge is final and no challenge to the decision will be allowed.

B. In case of any dispute arising out in the interpretation of the rules, or otherwise, the decision
of the Faculty Coordinator in consultation with the Organising Committee (OC) would be
final and binding. The Faculty Coordinator in consultation with the OC will have the
exclusive authority to interpret the Rules.

C. The OC has the following powers and sole discretion to:

1. Enforce all the Competition Rules;

2. Provide a definitive & final interpretation of the Competition Rules;
3. Resolve any dispute that may arise during the Competition;
4. Change or supplement the competition Rules, if necessary. Changes or supplements
will be duly communicated to all participants; and
5. Take disciplinary action for any unethical, unprofessional and immoral conduct by any
participant/ participating individuals.
 12

VII. PENALTIES

Failure to comply with the aforementioned rules may result in a progressive deduction of marks
across subsequent rounds, and in more severe cases, may lead to disqualification at the discretion of
the Organizing Committee.

VIII. CLARIFICATIONS

Any clarifications/ queries regarding the Moot Court Competition can be sought from the below
mentioned Email ID - advocateslegionevents2024@gmail.com
 13

ORGANISING COMMITTEE

ADVOCATES’ LEGION, MOOT COURT COMMITTEE, VSLLS, VIPS-TC

CHIEF PATRONS
Prof. (Dr.) T.V. Subba Rao, Chairperson, VSLLS, VIPS-TC
Prof. (Dr.) Rashmi Salpekar, Dean, VSLLS, VIPS-TC

FACULTY CONVENER
Dr. Gunjan Malhotra Ahuja

FACULTY CO-CONVENORS
Mr. Aditya Vikram Sharma
Dr. Sonali Sharma

FACULTY EVENT COORDINATORS

Ms. Ayesha Gupta
Dr. Vinayak Jhamb

FACULTY MEMBERS
Dr. Avinash Kumar
Ms. Samriti
Dr. Abhishek Trivedi
Ms. Nitika Upadhyaya
Dr. Kusum Lata Bawalia

STUDENT CO- CONVENERS

Mr. Hardik Giri : +91 9599422383
Ms. Arshia Jain : +91 7042208339
Ms. Kashish Gulati : +91 9643512190

STUDENT COORDINATORS
Ms. Srjiaa Grover : +91 8447352099
Mr. Divay Kakkar : +91 9718375912
Mr. Divesh Gupta : +91 9911261888
 14

MOOT PROPOSITION
The Republic of Indica is a country located in the South-East Asian part of the world which is
densely populated and is endowed with land-locked mountains in the north and plateaus in the
middle part of the country. The country is even blessed with rivers and lakes ensuring that the
water needs of its citizens are met adequately.

The country got its independence in 1947 when it was struggling to revive its economy from
the colonial loot. The industries were at their nascent stage and involvement of foreign
companies in Indican domestic market was considered unwarranted intrusion. However, the
year 1991 witnessed a surge in the coming of foreign companies in domestic market when
“Liberalisation, Privatization and Globalization (LPG)” was adopted. Mergers and
amalgamations became common and transfer of resources and technology became a constant
phenomenon.

Many small industries came up after LPG, strengthening their position in the domestic market.
One such set of factories were owned by Mr. Natwarlal under the name, Chintamani Lal and
Sons established in 2017 started producing chemicals required for scientific laboratories in the
vicinity. Time and again, concerns were raised concerning the fumes and obnoxious chemicals
emanating out of the factory; however, the government gave a clean chit to the producers as
they were involved in making important chemicals required for scientific and non-scientific
purposes.

In the year 2022, Mr. Natwarlal collaborated with Naisha Clothing and Hosiery Pvt. Ltd. for
producing wrinkle free shirts. As a part of the agreement, the former was supposed to produce
Perfluoro alkoxy alkane (PFA) for which hefty share in the profits would be given to them.
The use of this chemical was criticized by local climate activists but the business enterprises
turned blind eye and a deaf ear towards the pleas of the locales.

In a newspaper report which came out in ‘New Times Daily’ on 7th October, 2022, it was stated
that Mr. Natwarlal’s factory has provided employment opportunities to plenty of youth in the
local vicinity. He even employed skilled and un-skilled womenfolk in the area to be a part of
Chintamani Lal and Sons family, which was not witnessed earlier. As a part of philanthropic
activity, he even opened ‘Teaching centers’ for the underprivileged sections of the society and
was labelled as ‘Local Messiah’ of the region. However, many critics questioned the sanctity
of the report presenting it as the mouthpiece of ‘Business mafias.
 15

On 12th December, 2023, scores of birds were found dead in and around the factory by the
workers. Soon, the entire labor force of the factory started vomiting blood and were instantly
taken to the nearby govt hospital. On the investigation of the Chief Medical Officer, Hydrogen
Fluoride was found to be responsible for the ill-health of these individuals. Irregular heartbeats
in some patients were also witnessed and unfortunately, three people died on the spot.
Following this unfortunate incident, the entire town started blaming the over-ambitious, Mr.
Natwarlal who has been compromising environment and health for profit maximization.
However, the management blamed the local liquor for the ill-health of the workers and
completely refuted to take up any responsibility in the regard.

Furthermore, some ex-employees of the factory told that such instances of workers vomiting
blood and being admitted to hospital were quite common in the factory. The ecological balance
of the vicinity has been distorted by the production of harmful chemicals and its discharge
leading to a ceaseless decline in local flora and fauna. The factory owners have been bribing
the State environmental authorities and getting clearances for ensuring smooth functioning of
their ‘murderous endeavor’.

A local NGO, by the name ‘Green Talkies’ filed a writ petition on 20th April, 2024 to the
Supreme Court of Indica highlighting that the alleged factory is solely responsible for violating
the Right to Environment available with the citizens. The factory owners contended that they
were not responsible for this unfortunate incident, instead they have been actively furthering
Article 21 by providing employment opportunities for everyone in the vicinity.

The writ petition is to be decided by the Hon’ble Supreme Court and the matter is listed on 16th
May, 2024. The laws of Indica are Pari Materia to the laws of the Republic of India. Following
issues have been clubbed to be adjudged by the apex court:

 Whether production of Perfluoro alkoxy alkanes (PFA) and related obnoxious

chemicals violates the Right to Environment provided under Article 21 of the Indian
Constitution?
 Whether there is any incongruence between Right to Environment and Right to
Livelihood which was provided by “Chintamani Lal and Sons”?
 Whether “Chintamani Lal and Sons” was going against the cannons of
environmental laws of the Republic of Indica?