LiveLaw reports that the valedictory ceremony for the 15th Palkhivala Memorial National Moot Court and Research Paper Competition took place on 31 October 2026. This virtual event brought together law students from across India to demonstrate their skills in legal research and oral advocacy. Justice Rajesh Patil of the Bombay High Court attended as the chief guest, alongside senior advocates and university officials, to announce the results for both the moot court and research paper categories.
The moot court competition, which focused on courtroom skills and legal reasoning, saw a non-institutional team from the National Law School of India University claim the top prize. The winning trio consisted of Daksh Balakrishna, Asutosh Kar, and Sadhana Kasi. Alliance University secured the position of first runners-up, while the National Law Institute University in Bhopal was named second runners-up. Individual accolades were also distributed, with Bikram Manhas of NLIU Bhopal receiving the Best Speaker award. Vinay Negi from the Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies was recognized as the Best Researcher, and the Best Memorial award went to a team from the Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University.
The research paper competition addressed the theme of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 and tax surveillance. This topic required participants to critically examine the intersection of data privacy rights and the constitutional implications of tax surveillance mechanisms. According to the report, a non-institutional team from the Vivekanand Institute of Professional Studies – Technical Campus, comprising Saujanya Sarkar and Saurav Joshi, won the first prize. The Law Centre-II at the University of Delhi placed as first runners-up, and Maharashtra National Law University, Nagpur, secured the second runners-up position.
The ceremony served as a platform to honor the contributions of aspiring legal professionals in fostering a culture of legal scholarship. The organizers congratulated all participants for their dedication and enthusiasm. The event was organized in memory of Adv. Nani Palkhivala, an eminent jurist and constitutional expert whose legacy continues to influence legal education in the country. The virtual format allowed for broad participation from law students nationwide, highlighting the growing accessibility of such academic competitions.