Prime Minister to inaugurate jurists' conference

New Delhi: The Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, will inaugurate a two-day international conference of jurists on terrorism, role of law and human rights here on December 13.

Human rights in the face of international terrorism, terrorism and law, cross border terrorism ? effect on development, menace of cyber crime against data protection, combating drug trafficking, consumption and related problems are among the contemporary topics to be discussed in 20 working sessions at the meet, jointly organized by International Council of Jurists, All India Bar Association and Indian Council of Jurists (ICJ), ICJ President Adish C Aggarwala told reporters here.

Chief Justice of India Justice K G Balakrishnan would be chairing the inaugural session while Union Minister for Law and Justice Hansraj Bhardwaj would be the special guest. A book on Constitution of India written by Aggarwala would be released on the occasion.

About 1000 delegates from across the world, including USA, UK, Spain, Malaysia, Japan, Austria, Jordan and South Africa would be attending the meeting which would also discuss key economic issues such as law and corporate governance, role of ADR in reducing arrears of cases, regulatory framework for mergers and acquisitions, pharmaceutical patenting and national arbitration law, he said.

Aggarwala, who is also the Chairman of the All India Bar Association, said socially relevant issues such as role of press in strengthening democracy, role of right to information in promoting rule of law, role of legal reforms in developing countries, law as a tool to curb spread of HIV and planning as a tool to reduce poverty and would be deliberated at length.

A discussion on relations between the bench and the bar would be one of the major highlights of the conference to be addressed by eminent jurists, retired and serving judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts as also senior lawyers.

The International Jurists Award-2008 and National Law Day Award 2008 would also be presented at the inaugural function, the ICJ President said. (ANI)