NUJS International Conclave on Contemporary Issues in Administrative Law on 19th – 20th Feb, 2022

ABOUT WBNUJS

The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS) is a premier national law university consistently ranked as one of India’s top legal educational institutions. It was established under the WBNUJS Act, 1999 (West Bengal Act IX of 1999). It is a university within the meaning of subsection (f) of Section 2 and Section 12-B of the UGC Act, 1956, and has permanent affiliation from the Bar Council of India. Over the years, NUJS has produced several outstanding lawyers and scholars. With a rich set of faculty and students from diverse backgrounds, drawn from almost all corners of India, the academic community of the law school has made a name for itself in more than one field of law. This establishes an aura of excellence, devotion to the highest standards of academic integrity, and commitment to duty of service to one and all.

The Chief Justice of India is the Chancellor of NUJS and is also the Chairman of the General Council, the supreme policy-making body of the University. Under the current guidance of its Vice-Chancellor, Prof. (Dr.) Nirmal Kanti Chakrabarti, one of the most respected and renowned legal scholars in India and backed by a rich and diverse faculty, the University strives to continue with its history of merit in various domains of law.

For more information, please visit the official website of NUJS at www.nujs.edu. BACKGROUND

The growth of administrative law in India is to be attributed to a change of philosophy as to the role and function of state. The shifting of gears from laissez faire state to social welfare state has resulted in change of role of the state. This trend may be illustrated very forcefully by reference to the position in India. Before 1947, the ruling foreign power in India was primarily interested in strengthening its own domination; the administrative machinery was used mainly with the object in view and the civil service came to be designated as the “steel frame”. The state did not concern itself much with the welfare of the people. However, with the advent of independence and with the philosophy in the Indian constitution, the preamble to the constitution enunciated the great objectives and the socio-economic goals for the achievement of which the Indian constitution has been conceived.

With the development of society and growing complexity between the relationship of the administrative authorities and the people, strict conformity with Administrative law has become very indispensable to the society. In order to regulate these complex, relations, some law is necessary, which may bring about regularity certainty and at the same time may check the misuse of powers vested in the administration. With the growth of the society, particularly in the Indian context, its complexity has increased manifold and thereby presenting new challenges to the administration and we can have the appraisal of the same only when we make a comparative study of the duties of the administration in the ancient times with that of the modern times.

There is an increasing and timely interest in Indian administrative law, both amongst scholars of Indian law, as well as comparativist scholars of public law. This Conclave aims to lay the foundation for further research on Indian administrative law and promote work in this vital field, especially amongst early career researchers. It will explore foundational questions in the field, with a focus on distinctive features of Indian administrative law (compared with administrative law in other common law jurisdictions). The emphasis shall be upon administrative rules and policies concerning the executive, judiciary and the people of the country. Diverse methods and approaches to administrative law including doctrinal, critical, normative/philosophical, empirical, historical, etc will be discussed. Primary areas of focus will include –

• Comparative Administrative Law – Relational Theory as the basis to determine issues of Public Law
• Proportionality Jurisprudence in Indian Administrative Law
• Doctrine of Legitimate Expectations, Development of Wednesbury Principles, Doctrine of Legitimate Expectations
• Executive Rule Making & Guiding Administrative Principles
• Rule of Law & Role of Judiciary: Check on Arbitrary Exercise of Powers

• Good Governance: Public Participation in decision making and observing Principles of Transparency
• Shift from Public Liability to Individual Liability in the Administration
• The LokPal & Lokayukta Acts: Effectiveness in ensuring accountability of public officials
• Covid-19: Administrative Law & Regulatory Powers in times of Crisis
• Future of Administrative Law in India: Scope for Researchers

DATE OF THE CONFERENCE – 19TH – 20TH FEBRUARY, 2022 [SATURDAY & SUNDAY]