Wednesday, September 17, 2008

The 5th Nani Palkhivala Memorial Government Law College National Tax Moot Court Competition, 2008

 The Moot Court Association of Government Law College in association with the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, (ITAT) Bar Association and the All India Federation of Tax Practitioners (AIFTP) is pleased to announce the 5th Nani Palkhivala Memorial National Tax Moot Court Competition to be held from 16th – 18th October, 2008. 
The Government Law College, established in 1855 is one of the oldest law colleges in Asia, a pioneer in legal education - an institution par excellence. The generations of legal luminaries who have been nurtured by this unique institution have made a seminal contribution to the evolution of the Indian Legal System. Dr. Dinshaw Mulla, Mr. A. A. A. Fyzee and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar have all been the Principals of this venerated institution. The first Chief Justice of India, Hon'ble Mr. Harilal Kania was an alumnus of this college. Former Hon'ble Chief Justices of India - Mr. M. H. Kania, Mr. P. N. Bhagwati and Mr. S. P. Bharucha all began their careers at GLC. The Hon'ble President of India, Her Excellency Ms. Pratibhata Patil, Mr. Soli Sorabjee, Mr. Fali Nariman, Mr. Anil Divan, Mr. T. R. Andhyarujina and Mr. Goolam Vahanvati have all been students of this very institution. 
The Moot Court Association (MCA) of Government Law College was established in 1955 by the then Hon'ble Minister of Education, Mr. Dinkar R. Desai. The heritage of the MCA spans over half a century. The primary objective of the MCA is to provide the students of GLC with a platform to gain exposure to the practical aspects of the legal profession. The concept of a 'Moot', or 'Mock Court' is well established and universally recognized as a co-curricular activity pursued by law students. Moot Courts have become an integral part of the curriculum of the students of Government Law College. The exposure, practical knowledge and experience, which one gains through these Moot Courts, are second to none. These competitions are judged by sitting judges of the Bombay High Court, senior advocates and practicing lawyers of the city. This opportunity provided to the students by the MCA helps them carve a niche for themselves in the legal profession. 
 Shri Nani Palkhivala was born in 1920 in Bombay. He enrolled at the Government Law College, where he discovered that he had the gift for unravelling the intricacies of jurisprudence. Shri Nani Palkhivala was called to the BAR in 1944. His initial forte was commercial tax law. He authored what was then and still is today an authoritative work: The Law and Practice of Income Tax. He was a pioneer in his field of expertise. Nani Palkhivala took over as President of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) BAR Association in 1967. He also served as a professor of Taxation and Constitutional Law at the Government Law College, Mumbai. 
The Nani Palkhivala Memorial National Tax Moot Court Competition is organized by the Government Law College, Mumbai in association with Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, (ITAT), Bar Association and All India Federation of Tax Practitioners (AIFTP) 
The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) is the second level appellate body looking into the litigation and disputes in tax matters arising from the assessments finalized by the departmental officers which are adjudicated first by the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals), being the first level appellate authority. If for any reason, either the tax payer or the department is not satisfied by the decision so passed by the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals), then they can approach the ITAT. 
The All India Federation of Tax Practitioners (AIFTP) is a common platform for all those who practice taxation laws, irrespective of their individual affiliations and aspires to be a part of an all India body of tax practitioners. 
The Nani Palkhivala Memorial National Tax Moot Court Competition is the only competition in the country which is held in an actual working court and is judged by the sitting Members of the ITAT itself. It is the only moot court competition in the country which is based exclusively on the subject of 'Taxation'. This event, organized by the Moot Court Association of the Government Law College, Mumbai, is a fitting tribute to Late Shri Nani Palkhivala - a stalwart of the Indian Legal Fraternity. Over 24 teams from the most prestigious law schools across the country will be participating in this edition of the competition. 
The winners will have a unique opportunity to intern for six months with some of the most renowned names of the legal fraternity. The winners of the Best Team Award will get an opportunity to intern with the law firm 'Economic Law Practice' The runner-up team shall have the opportunity to intern with the law firm 'Titus & Co.' The winners of the Best Speaker awards shall have the opportunity to intern with Mr. Soli Dastur, Sr. Advocate, Mumbai or Mr. V. Ramachandran, Sr. Advocate, Chennai or Mr. Bharatji Agrawal, Sr. Advocate, Allahabad.
We also organize the Nani Palkhivala Memorial National Tax Research Paper Competition. This year the topic of the research paper is 'Royalties and Fees for Technical Services in International Trade'. Students from esteemed law schools from across the country participate in this competition. The best article will be published in the All India Federation of Tax Practitioners Journal. 


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hi, could you please tell me when the results for the Research Paper Competition will be declared?

Thanks,
Gautam Bhatia