On the 26^th of January 2016, the Centre for Law and Policy Research(CLPR), launched its CADIndia website and also organised a discussion around the theme – ‘Constituent Assembly Debates In Contemporary Times’ at the Karnataka Judicial Academy, Bangalore. The discussion was moderated by Prof. ArunThiruvengadam, AzimPremjiUniveristy.

The CADIndia website (cadindia.clpr.org.in), supported by FNF, is a specially designed to allow users to read, search and explore India’s constitutional origins, particularly the Constituent Assembly Debates. The event kicked off with Jayna Kothari, Executive Director, CLPR, giving the welcome address. She introduced CLPR and its CADIndia project to the gathering. Justice N Kumar, Judge, High Court of Karnataka, launched the website and gave the inaugural address. Justice Kumar talked about various aspects of the history of India’s Constitution and the major personalities that were involved. Justice RaghvendraChauhan, Judge, Karnataka High Court, in his speech, compared the constitution making process of America and India and made insightful comments on both. He was followed by Prof. SudhirKrishnswamy, Trustee, CLPR, who stressed on the importance of the CAD in understanding contemporary political and constitutional problems but warned against using the CAD for resolving all conflicts.

The discussion was then thrown open to the audience for a question and answer session. All speakers during their speeches deeply appreciated members of CLPR and the work that went behind the CADIndia website. They stressed on the importance of the website to lawyers, judges, academics and lay persons, in engaging with India’s constitutional origins. The panel also launched CLPR’s publication – ‘Rights in review -2015’ – which gives an overview of the important ‘rights’ related Supreme Court judgements of 2015.

Newspaper coverage: http://www.deccanherald.com/content/525373/justice-kumar-disapproves-tendency-destroy.html