CUK marks Constitution Day with insightful addresses by eminent Jurists

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27 Nov 2025

Ganderbal, Nov 26: Department of Law, School of Legal Studies Central University of Kashmir (CUKashmir), today observed the 76th Constitution Day by organising an intellectually rich programme that brought together distinguished jurists, senior university administrators, faculty members, research scholars and students. According to a statement issued here, Judge High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, Hon’ble Shri Justice Sanjeev Kumar Shukla (Chief Guest), Hon’ble Shri. Justice Vineet Kothari, former Judge, Gujarat High Court, (Guest of Honour) (online), CUKashmir Vice Chancellor, Prof. A Ravinder Nath, Dean Academic Affairs, Prof. Shahid Rasool, Registrar, Dr. Nisar Ahmad Mir, Dean, School of Legal Studies, Prof. Farooq Ahmad Mir, Deans of the Schools, Heads and Coordinators of the Departments and other university functionaries were present. Member Secretary J&K, Legal Service Authority, Ms Shazia Tabassum, ADC Ganderbal, Secretary DLSA, Ganderbal, police officials were also present. Addressing the participants, Hon’ble Shri Justice Sanjeev Kumar Shukla, offered a lucid explanation of key constitutional concepts—sovereignty, democracy, republic, socialism and secularism—emphasizing that many of these values existed in practice long before their textual inclusion. He traced the roots of liberty, equality and fraternity to the French Revolution and elaborated on their expression in India’s constitutional architecture. He detailed the exposition on Articles 14, 15, 16, 19, 21, 25 to 28 and 39A and clarified the limits of religious freedom, the spirit of secularism, and the obligations of both state and citizen. “Our tradition teaches tolerance, our philosophy teaches tolerance, and our Constitution teaches tolerance—let us not dilute it,” he said, while quoting Hon’ble Justice Chinnappa Reddy. Hon’ble Shri Justice Sanjeev Kumar Shukla, called upon students to commit themselves to understanding and upholding constitutional morality. “When we respect each other’s faith and recognize the dignity of every individual, we protect the unity and integrity of our nation,” he added. Speaking on the occasion, Hon’ble Shri Justice Vineet Kothari, described the Constitution of India as “the most detailed and deeply researched document in the world,” crafted after studying various global constitutions and refined by rigorous debate in the Constituent Assembly. He reminded the audience that a constitution remains meaningful only when its citizens uphold its spirit through conduct, not merely through knowledge. He drew special attention to the preamble’s lesser-discussed pillar—fraternity, which assures the dignity of the individual and the unity of the nation. In a diverse country like India, he observed, fraternity is the thread that binds together people of different languages, cultures, religions and regions. He urged students to reflect deeply on the obligations arising from fundamental duties, an area often overshadowed by the more frequently discussed fundamental rights. In his remarks, Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor, Prof. A. Ravinder Nath, described the School of Legal Studies, Central University of Kashmir as “the vibrant face of the University” and praised its academic culture, commitment to societal outreach and growing national reputation. He reflected on the changing contours of legal education and the need for holistic approaches that integrate curricular, co-curricular and community-driven learning. He encouraged students to become not just consumers of knowledge but active contributors to policy frameworks within the University. “Students must interact with society, understand its legal needs, and contribute meaningfully,” he remarked, adding that legal education must move beyond textbooks to embrace experiential learning.