36th LAWASIA Conference set to be held in Bengaluru from November 24-27
Bengaluru: Legal professionals, bar leaders, and jurists from across the Asia Pacific region are set to converge in Bengaluru for the 36th LAWASIA Conference, a flagship event organized by LAWASIA and The Bar Association of India.
Scheduled to take place from Friday, November 24, to Monday, November 27, 2023, at the Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru, the conference is set to be a hub for in-depth discussions on various legal topics.
While Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will inaugurate the event on November 24, Soumya Swaminathan, Chairperson, M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation; former Chief Scientist, WHO, will deliver a talk on “Journey into the Future: Climate Change, Public Health and Equity,” said senior advocate S.S. Naganand, vice-president of Bar Association of India (BAI) and an executive member of LAWASIA.
Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud will deliver a talk on “Identity, the Individual and the State: New Paths to Liberty” on November 25 and some of the judges of the Supreme Courts of India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, various the High Courts of the country, will attend sessions on various subjects of law.
The LAWASIA Annual Conference, considered a pinnacle in the organization's professional events program, provides a unique platform for legal experts to discuss and deliberate on key regional developments in law.
The event covers a wide array of legal domains, including Family Law, Human Rights & Rule of Law, Business Law, Environmental Law, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Criminal Law, Intellectual Property, and more.
“As a generalist legal event, the Annual Conference also serves as an important forum for sharing ideas, building professional networks, reinforcing shared professional values, advocating for the rule of law in varied jurisdictions, and advancing the status of the legal profession in the Asia Pacific,” a statement from the organisers stated.
The Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru will play host to a series of engaging sessions, featuring renowned legal experts as speakers and panelists. Attendees can expect thought-provoking discussions, interactive sessions, and opportunities to delve into the latest legal trends and advancements in the region.
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Sanjay Raut demands re-election, alleges irregularities in EVMs during Maharashtra polls
Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.
"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.
Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.
The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."
Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.
"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.
Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.
He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.
"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.
