Debate competition held on marital rape

Faculty of Legal Sciences, Shoolini University hosted Inter-University Debate Competition on Friday. The topic of debate was “Should marital rape be criminalised in India?”

Mr. B.L. Soni, a former District and Session Judge, was the Guest of Honour. He praised the students for their deliberations and efforts, and stated that the dispute will be put to rest once the courts reached a conclusion. He also went into detail about India’s marriage past and the concept of live-in relationships.

The chief guest of the event was Mr. Ashok Verma, Additional Superintendent of Police, Solan. He appreciated the efforts by the University and encouraged students to improve their skills through competitions like this. Mr. Manoj Chauhan, Assistant District Attorney, and Dr. Pushpanjali Sood, Associate Professor of Law, served as judges for the competition. Mr. Chauhan believes that the matter is extremely important because while criminalising marital rape is vital, there is a risk that the law would be misused if it is passed. He further mentioned that if rape is regarded in this scenario, there are remedies that can be taken to safeguard the victim. Dr. Sood emphasised the importance of making an informed judgement on this contentious matter.

Prof. Nandan Sharma, Associate Dean, Faculty of Legal Sciences, Shoolini University welcomed the distinguished guests and briefed the audience about the competition. Prof. Atul Khosla, Vice Chancellor, Shoolini University thanked the Chief Guest, Guest of Honour and other attendees and applauded their self-less service to society. The students actively participated in speaking for and against the motion. There were students from University Institute of Legal Studies (UILS), Himachal Pradesh University, Bahra University and Shoolini University, who participated in the debate competition.