ILI celebrates Women's Day with symposium on 106th Constitutional Amendment

The Indian Law Institute (ILI) in collaboration with the Commonwealth Legal Education Association (CLEA) commemorated International Women's Day with a national symposium titled, 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam and its Implementation: 106th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2023.'

The programme commenced with introductory remarks by Director, ILI, Senior Professor (Dr) VK Ahuja on the constitutional importance of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023. While highlighting the evolving discourse on gender justice within Indian constitutionalism, Prof Ahuja stressed the need to examine the enactment of transformative legislation and its implementation.

Delivering the keynote address, Attorney-General R Venkataramani spoke on the foundational ideals of democracy, civilisation and the Constitution. Sharing an anecdote about Justice VR Krishna Iyer, he remarked, “Rhetoric is important because it evokes emotion and propels reflection.”

He urged upon the relevance of social, political, and subjective context within which reforms occur. He also touched upon subjects such as the abolition of untouchability, and questioned the persistence of gender divides in today's day and age.

While describing the 106th Constitutional Amendment, he underlined that transformative constitutionalism is not an abstract ideal, but a continuous process which moulded by legislative will, judicial interpretation and societal readiness.

Addressing the prolonged timeline for operationalising the 106th Amendment, Attorney-General Venkataramani said the implementation of a constitutional amendment involves layered institutional processes. These include delimitation exercises and administrative preparedness to ensure structural compliance.

Attorney-General Venkataramani, in his conclusion, highlighted the need for greater accountability of political parties and lauded ILI for advancing dialogue on gender justice and constitutional reform.

Dean, Hamdard Institute of Legal Studies and Research, Prof (Dr) Saleena K Basheer observed that the legislative nomenclature carries symbolic depth. Appreciating the nomenclature 'Nari Shakti Vandan' rather than 'Mahila Arakshan', she explained that the chosen title conveys empowerment rather than mere reservation.

Prof Basheer reflected on the growing representation of women in constitutional offices, noting that the President of India and several key ministers, including the finance minister exemplify the spirit of Nari Shakti.

Joint General Secretary, CLEA, Ruchi Sharma briefly addressed the gathering, commending the relevance of the discussion in light of ongoing debates on inclusive representation. The symposium concluded with a vote of thanks by Associate Professor, ILI, Dr Arya A Kumar.

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