The Hindu and VIT Chennai to host Justice Unplugged 2026 in New Delhi

The Hindu, in partnership with the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) School of Law (VITSOL), VIT Chennai, is organising the second edition of Justice Unplugged – Shaping the Future of Law, bringing together some of India’s accomplished jurists, advocates, academicians, and public intellectuals to deliberate on the future of law, justice, and governance.

Following its inaugural edition in Chennai, this edition expands in scale and ambition as it moves to the nation’s capital with a renewed vision to foster wider representation, national engagement, and substantive conversations on the future of law in the country.

At its core, the conclave serves as a student-first, knowledge platform for aspiring lawyers and young practitioners, offering clarity on career trajectories, evolving professional demands, and the steadfast ethical pillars that underpin the rule of law.

The day will begin with a ceremonious inauguration, featuring some of the finest names in Indian legal and educational fraternity, including Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Founder and Chancellor,VIT, G Viswanathan.

The next session will be a fireside chat featuring Vice-President, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), G V Selvam in conversation with CEO, The Hindu Group, L V Navaneeth that will explore the current state of legal education in India.

This session examines how academic institutions must adapt to a rapidly changing global landscape to stay relevant.

Following this, the focus will pivot to the intersection of law and technology, a frontier that is redefining the very nature of legal work.

The first panel discussion will address the shifts caused by Gen AI-induced technological transformation. The panel features a diverse group of experts including Advocate-on-Record, Supreme Court of India, Neha Rathi and Head of the Department, B.B.A LL.B (Hons), VITSOL, VIT Chennai, Jishnu JR. They will dissect how professional competence should evolve in an era of unprecedented automation.

The afternoon will deepen the constitutional inquiry with a session dedicated to Fundamental Rights in the digital age. This panel will comprise Senior Advocate Shadan Farasat, Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan and Head of the Department, Centre for Post Graduate Legal Studies (LL.M Programme), VITSOL, VIT Chennai, M S Sharmila. The panel will examine how India’s constitution responds to the complex trends of a hyper-connected world.

This will be followed by a close look at the craft itself in the session exploring the art of constitutional thinking. Senior Advocate and Former Chief Justice, High Court of Orissa, S Muralidhar will elaborate on how great lawyers are made, through rigorous discipline, philosophical depth, and a commitment to justice.

The final panel of the day features District & Additional Sessions Judge, Delhi, Shreya Arora Mehta, Advocate-on-Record, Supreme Court of India, Sanchita Ain, Senior Advocate Karuna Nundy, and Head of the Department, B.A. LL.B (Hons), VITSOL, VIT Chennai, Tania Sebastian. The panel will deliberate on improving legal access, and tackling the vital challenge of making justice truly accessible to every citizen.

The conclave's final session is a promising masterclass in legal philosophy and institutional critique. The fireside chat will include Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal and Director, The Hindu Group, N Ram. The topic would revolve around Constitutional morality and the Supreme Court of India.

This closing dialogue, titled "Has the Court moved from Constitutionalism to Pragmatism?" will undertake an examination of the judiciary's modern soul.

It provides attendees with the opportunity to witness an exchange of perspectives between two of the country’s most formidable minds.

For students and practitioners in attendance, the day offers a unique vantage point, a chance to move beyond the theoretical constraints of textbooks and engage with the legal system’s finest practitioners.

This initiative is designed to inspire the next generation, providing them with the perspective, purpose, and direction to navigate the legal landscape.

The event will be held on February 28, 2026, in New Delhi.

Watch the event live:

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