West Bengal National University Of Juridical Sciences Act, 1999
No: 9 Dated: Aug, 03 1999
THE WEST BENGAL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF JURIDICAL SCIENCES ACT, 1999.
West Bengal Act IX of 1999
An Act to establish and incorporate a National University of Juridical Sciences at Calcutta in West Bengal.
Whereas the Committee appointed by the Chief Justices’ Conference on Legal Education and Training (1993) has recommended the establishment in each State of an institution on the model of the National Law School of India University at Bangalore;
And whereas the All India Law Ministers’ Conference (1995) has resolved to set up in each State a Law School modelled on the lines of the National Law School of India University at Bangalore for improving the quality of professional legal education;
And whereas it is considered necessary to encourage the establishment of such a national level institution of excellence in higher learning of law in the State of West Bengal;
And whereas it is deemed expedient to establish the National University of Juridical Sciences for the purpose hereinafter appearing;
It is hereby enacted as follows:-
1. Short title and commencement. - (1) This Act may be called the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences Act, 1999.
(2) It shall come into force on such date as the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint, and different dates may be appointed for different provisions of this Act.
2. Definitions. - In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-
(1) "Academic Council" means the Academic Council of the University;
(2) "Bar Council of India" means the Bar Council of India constituted under the Advocates Act, 1961;
(3) "Bar Council" means the Bar Council of West Bengal constituted under the Advocates Act, 1961;
(4) "Chancellor" means the Chancellor of the University;
(5) "Executive Council" means the Executive Council of the University;
(6) "General Council" means the General Council of the University;
(7) "Registrar" means the Registrar of the University;
(8) "regulations" means the regulations of the University made under section 13;
(9) "Schedule" means the Schedule to this Act;
(10) "Chief Justice" means Chief Justice of West Bengal and includes the Judge performing the duties of Chief Justice of High Court;
(11) "University" means the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences established under section 3;
(12) "Vice-Chancellor" means the Vice-Chancellor of the University;
(13) "Finance Committee" means the Finance Committee of the University.
3. Establishment and incorporation of the University. - (1) With effect from the coming into force of this Act, there shall be established, in the State of West Bengal, a University by the name of the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, which shall consist of the Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor, the General Council, the Executive Council, the Academic Council and the Registrar.
(2) The University shall be a body corporate by the name as aforesaid, having perpetual succession and common seal, with power, subject to the provisions of this Act, to acquire and hold property and to contract, and shall, by the said name, sue and be sued.
(3) In all suits and other legal proceedings by or against the University, the pleadings shall be signed and verified by the Registrar and all processes in such suits and proceedings shall be issued to, and served on, the Registrar.
(4) The headquarters of the University shall be at Calcutta.
4. The objects of the University. - (1) The objects of the University shall be to advance and disseminate learning and knowledge of law and legal processes and their role in national development, to develop in the student and research scholar a sense of responsibility to serve society in the field of law by developing skills in regard to advocacy, legal services, legislation, law reforms and the like, to organise lectures, seminars, symposia and conferences, to promote legal knowledge and to make law and legal processes efficient instruments of social development, to promote inter-disciplinary study of law in relation to management, technology, international co-operation and development, to hold examinations and confer degrees including joint degrees in law combined with other disciplines and other academic distinctions, and to do all such things as are incidental, necessary or conducive to the attainment of all or any of the objects of the University.
(2) The University shall be open to all persons of all religions of either sex irrespective of race, creed, caste or class and it shall not be lawful for the University to impose on any person any test, whatsoever of religious belief or profession, in order to entitle him to be admitted thereto as a teacher or a student or to hold any office therein or to graduate thereat or to enjoy or to exercise any privilege thereof.