Chief Minister Announces Two New Courts to Deal with NDPS Matters in Kangra and Mandi

Shimla, 11 October 2026

Himachal Pradesh National Law University (HPNLU), Shimla, held its Third Convocation today at Gyan Path Sabhagar, Himachal Pradesh University, Summer Hills, Shimla, marking a significant milestone in the academic journey of its graduating students. The ceremony witnessed the conferment of degrees upon undergraduate and postgraduate students and Ph.D. scholars, the award of 16 gold medals, and the conferment of honorary Doctor of Laws degrees upon three distinguished judicial luminaries.

Hon’ble Shri Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. Hon’ble Mr. Justice M.M. Sundresh, Judge of the Supreme Court of India and Hon’ble Visitor of HPNLU, presided over the convocation and delivered the Convocation Address. Hon’ble Mr. Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia, Chief Justice of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh and Chancellor of HPNLU, conferred degrees to the graduating students. Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Former Chief Justice of India, attended as the Guest of Honour.

The ceremony commenced with the academic procession followed by the welcome address and presentation of the University Progress Report by Prof. Priti Saxena, Vice-Chancellor, HPNLU. The report highlighted the University’s progress and academic journey. Degrees were conferred upon students of the B.A. LL.B. (Hons.), B.B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) and LL.M. programmes, as well as scholars awarded the Ph.D. in Law.

Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister congratulated the graduating students and underscored the importance of addressing the growing challenge of drug abuse. He announced that two new courts would be established in Kangra and Mandi to deal with matters under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, strengthening the institutional response to drug-related offences. He also referred to financial assistance being extended to the National Law University and expressed confidence that HPNLU would soon emerge as a centre of excellence in research and education.

Delivering the Convocation Address, Hon’ble Mr. Justice M.M. Sundresh emphasised that students of law were not merely professionals trained to interpret legal provisions but must also serve as “social engineers, social architects and social doctors.” He observed that justice required more than a mere understanding of law and demanded an appreciation of the functioning of society and the social realities within which legal principles operated. Highlighting the changing landscape of legal practice, he also discussed the potential impact of agentic artificial intelligence (AI) on the future of law and the responsibilities of the legal profession in responding to emerging technological developments.

The University conferred honorary degrees of Doctor of Laws (Honoris Causa) upon Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Former Chief Justice of India; Hon’ble Mr. Justice M.S. Ramachandra Rao, Chief Justice of the High Court of Tripura; and Hon’ble Mr. Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan, Former Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court, in recognition of their distinguished contributions.

A total of 16 gold medals were conferred in recognition of academic excellence across the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. The ceremony also recognised meritorious students through the Founder Chancellor’s Fellowship Prize. The Third Convocation celebrated the academic achievements of the graduating students and marked the beginning of their next journey in the legal profession, public service, research and other fields. The occasion reaffirmed HPNLU’s commitment to legal education, academic excellence and the development of socially conscious legal professionals.