THE TAMIL NADU DR.

AMBEDKAR LAW UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE IN LAW
CHENNAI, TAMIL NADU, INDIA

PRESENTS TO YOU

THE 9TH PRO BONO ENVIRO NATIONAL MOOT COURT

COMPETITION, 2015
30TH OCTOBER, 2015 - 1ST NOVEMBER, 2015

9TH PRO BONO ENVIRO NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION, 2015

CONTENTS
1. OFFICIAL INVITE

2. MOOT PROPOSITION

3. RULES & REGULATIONS

ANNEXURE I - REGISTRATION FORM

22

ANNEXURE II - TRAVEL FORM

24

4. TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

25

5. ORGANISING COMMITTEE

27

9TH PRO BONO ENVIRO NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION, 2015

OFFICIAL INVITE
We warmly welcome you to the 9th Edition of the Pro Bono Enviro National Moot Court
Competition, 2015. It is the flagship event for our Institution and we aim towards only object
getting better by the year. The Moot is based on domestic Environmental Law and is intended to
create awareness among the student body regarding pressing environmental issues. Year after
year the competition has witnessed an overwhelming response from various Universities and
Colleges throughout India and this year too, we promise an exciting weekend of debate,
discussion and display of legal acumen. The Competition this year will see sitting Judges of the
Madras High Court, and Advocates and Specialists in the field that will ensure that the Rounds
are judged with even more vigor and enthusiasm than the past years of Pro Bono.
The last edition was a grand success. This year with the constitution of an even more enthusiastic
Organising Committee we promise for it to only be better. The previous year, more than 30 law
institutions from different parts of India participated in the Moot, and we expect this number to
only increase this year. The 9th Pro Bono Enviro National Moot Court Competition, 2015 is
scheduled from 30th October 1st November, 2015. The Moot Court Association of School of
Excellence in Law, Chennai cordially invites your prestigious institution to participate in the
same. We look forward to seeing you this October!

With Regards,
The Organising Committee

9TH PRO BONO ENVIRO NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION, 2015

MOOT PROPOSITION1
1. The Republic of Minas Tirith is the worlds third most populous country with a population of
more than 1.1 billion. It is located centrally on Earth with everything a nation could ask for from
nature. The country is rich in mineral ores which include magnetite, steel, coal and magnate. The
country has an area of 3,287,590 sq. km. Minas Tirith has signed all the major international
conventions and treaties relating to environmental law until the present date but has ratified only
those conventions and treaties that were entered into until the completion of the year 2003.

2. Natural resources are found throughout the country at varied levels. In the State of East
Pradesh which has a coastline of 1,000 km, the natural resources including iron ore and coal are
found in abundance. This is the largest State in the country and is located on the eastern coast.
Around 40% of the States population consists of tribal people who have been living in the
forests and other parts of the State since time immemorial. The States oldest literary work called
Eastory speaks about this tribal population with great importance. This is dated to be at least
3,000 years old. The main occupation of the tribal people is agriculture and hunting in the forest
region, and handicrafts and handiworks in the neighboring city. Mr. Gandalf is the leader of the
tribal people who have always fought for their rights and upliftment.

3. The Central Government of the Republic of Minas Tirith was elected through the general
elections in May 2015. The main agenda of the Government was to increase the economic
development and provide job opportunities. True to its word, the Government has taken several
measures to bring in foreign investment and develop several public and private sector areas
including mining. The Government decided to lease out the mines to increase its GDP and
industrial growth. This also ensures that the Government has acquired enough iron for military
purposes, in which the country is lacking. There is an economic depression throughout the world
and the country needs to keep itself afloat in the sinking world market. With the approval of the
Cabinet, the Government has notified the New Mining Deal, 2015 which is its master plan on
mining. Subsequent to the plan, it had auctioned iron mines in blocks to several foreign mining
1

The Moot Proposition has been drafted by Mr. Diwaagar R.S., currently a Legal Intern at the City of New York
Business Integrity Commission, New York and an alumnus of School of Excellence in Law, Chennai (2012). Any
attempts to contact him shall result in immediate disqualification of the participating team.

9TH PRO BONO ENVIRO NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION, 2015

giants. Considering the importance of the country and its ores, the mining ores auctioned earned
200% more than the expected rate and was a huge profit for the country. The auction was won by
M/s. Marvolo Miners Inc. The mining work commenced on June 1st, 2015.

4. The Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) gave the clearance for mining activities.
However, as commonly known, it is not without corruption. The MoEF followed procedural
requirements and all the required assessments were carried out before granting the license. The
State of East Pradesh was not consulted in the entire process by the Central Government or by
the Company. There was no assessment by the State Environmental Impact Assessment Agency
(SEIAA) or by the Pollution Control Board (PCB). At this point in time the Government in the
State of East Pradesh belonged to the same party as that of Central Government. The State
Government raised no issues about it. The Chief Minister participated in the opening ceremony
of the mining activities and thanked the Central Government for its quicker implementation.

5. Marvolo is a world leader in mining from a western country called District 12. They mine in
more than 25 countries. In about 13 countries they have been accused of violating their licenses.
They have also been alleged of being responsible for careless mining and displacement of the
tribal people in those countries. All of these are strong allegations but have never been proved.
They admitted at some instances to have used inferior technology and methods in mining than
the advanced one available.
6. In East Pradesh, Marvolos license was restricted to iron blocks A, B and C. There are other
blocks D, E and F which were not licensed and were to be left untouched. It is believed that
mining these unlicensed blocks may cause a huge environmental hazard to the local population
and also affect the existence of the forest. The mining in the blocks A, B and C was also
permitted only upto a depth of 100 feet. The major concentration of the tribal people is in and
around these mines. There is a huge forest known as The Burrow which covers half of the mine
and runs beyond the boundary of the State. This is the greatest forest reserve the State and the
country have. It houses several precious animals which are on the verge of extinction. Seasonal
birds are known to migrate here from foreign countries. There is also a river running along the
outer edge and within The Burrow which is the only source of clean water to the whole State.

9TH PRO BONO ENVIRO NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION, 2015

7. Marvolo mined in blocks A, B and D. They left C untouched. This was only identified by a
news reporters secret investigation. The report further alleged that they have mined more than
125 feet in the said blocks. This created a huge controversy in the State. Meanwhile, it was
observed that the tigers in the forest had reduced by 20% in the last 2 months and that the
migratory birds which were to arrive in the particular season were not seen. There were only
10% of the regularly visiting migratory birds. The river water was polluted with all the mining
wastes which could have been avoided if a better technology had been used. The tribal people
started relocating as their habitat was now changed. There was increase in air pollution and soil
erosion. More importantly thousands of workers and other people who visited the area started
intruding into the peaceful living of the tribal people. Deforestation of a huge area of the forest
was also seen. However, the deforestation is expected to have happened during mining activities
and was not against the licenses. The new reports are unclear if these were the results of alleged
illegal mining in block D.

8. The matter was discussed politically. Mr. Percival Brian who was an independent candidate
campaigning for the elections filed a PIL before the High Court of East Pradesh against the
whole mining activity and sought a criminal case against Marvolo for violations. The Court had
doubts on the locus standi and the jurisdiction for the PIL. However, the court ordered SEIAA to
conduct an investigation and file a report of the status.

9. The SEIAA took only 2 days to investigate and held a press conference wherein it was
informed that more than 100 feet was mined. Block D was mined violating the license and its
investigation was not sufficient to see if the block D mining resulted in environmental changes. It
also categorically announced that the license should not have been granted to any of these
mining blocks as they critically affect the tribal population and the environment. The Agency
also conceded that an environmental impact assessment before the beginning of license would
have prevented such problems. However, this report was not filed in the appropriate High Court
as it was a weekend.

9TH PRO BONO ENVIRO NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION, 2015

10. Looking at the increased trouble that had been caused, the National Green Tribunal (NGT)
convened a forum on Saturday night and granted a suo motu injunction against any further
mining and ordered the mine to be sealed until further orders.

11. Aggrieved by this and the High Court PIL, Marvolo decided to approach the Supreme Court
of Minas Tirith. It raised the following issues:
a. The NGT does not have suo motu powers and hence its orders are unconstitutional.
b. The PIL petitioner has a vested interest and he is expected to contest in the elections.
Hence he does not have the locus standi to file a PIL.
c. A criminal case registration cannot be initiated through a PIL.
12. The Supreme Court found this matter to be of great importance and decided to take the main
case and decide it with finality. It had thus transferred all the cases to the Supreme Court for a
special hearing and the final hearing has been posted for November 1st, 2015. It has sought the
parties to address the following issues:
a. Whether the NGT has suo motu powers?
b. Whether there was a criminal violation of mining license and whether it caused the
environmental degradation?
[If there are criminal violations, the Court is interested in hearing which legislations
have been violated and it also would like to hear arguments to see if these violations are
criminal or merely contractual in nature]
c. Whether the mining in the area is against environmental safety and violates the rights of
the tribal people?
[The Court wishes to hear scientific arguments on the validity and impact of the New
Mining Deal, 2015 permitting a license in the area]
13. After passing the orders, in the evening the Supreme Court gave the following notification:
It is hereby ordered that the Petitioners shall be M/s. Marvolo Mining Company and the
Central Government of the Republic of Minas Tirith. The Respondents shall be the State
of East Pradesh represented by the SEIAA, Mr. Percival Brian. If any of the parties

9TH PRO BONO ENVIRO NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION, 2015

contest their addition or wish to add an extra party they shall contest the same during the
arguments.
NOTE:
i.

The political structure, legal system and legislation of the Republic of Minas Tirith are in
pari materia with that of the Republic of India.

ii.

The list of issues is merely illustrative. Parties may feel free to construct their own issues
and present arguments for the same which may enable the Supreme Court to render a
final and binding decision.

iii.

The judgments of any Indian Court may have persuasive value. The judgments delivered
by 3 judges or higher of the Supreme Court of India shall be binding.

DISCLAIMER:
The material in the Moot Proposition is not intended to and does not attempt to resemble any
incident or any person living or dead. All material in the problem is fictitious and any
resemblance to any incident or person, if any, is not intended, but merely co-incidental.

9TH PRO BONO ENVIRO NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION, 2015

RULES & REGULATIONS

1. GENERAL RULES
1.1 DATE & VENUE OF THE COMPETITION:
The 9th Pro Bono Enviro National Moot Court Competition, 2015 will be held from
October 30th, 2015 to November 1st, 2015 at the School of Excellence in Law, The Tamil
Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University, Chennai 600028.
1.2 TEAM ELIGIBILITY & TEAM COMPOSITION:
a. Participation is strictly restricted to bona fide law students enrolled in the three year or
five year LL.B. or B.L. degree course in any institution in India.
b. Only one team is permitted to participate from each provisionally registered institution.
c. Each team shall comprise of a minimum of two and a maximum of three members. In a
team consisting of two members, each of the members shall be designated as Speaker.
In a team consisting of three members, two of the members shall be designated as
Speaker and the third member shall be designated as Researcher.

1.3 REGISTRATION PROCEDURE:

a. Provisional Registration of the participating institutions shall be sent by e-mail to
probonoenviro2015@gmail.com on or before 30th September, 2015, 11:59 PM. There is
a team cap of 30. The registration of the institutions will take place entirely on firstcome-first-serve basis.
b. Upon receipt of an e-mail confirming provisional registration from the Organising
Committee, participants shall complete the Registration Formalities in two steps:
i.

Participants shall e-mail the duly filled and signed Soft Copy (scanned copy) of
the Registration Form (Annexure-I) as well as the scanned copy of the Demand
Draft for Rs. 3,500/- to probonoenviro2015@gmail.com on or before 6th
October, 2015, 11:59 PM. The Demand Draft shall be drawn in favour of The
Registrar, The Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University, Chennai
600028, payable at Chennai.
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9TH PRO BONO ENVIRO NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION, 2015

ii.

The Hard Copy of the said Registration Form and the original Demand Draft shall
reach the Organising Committee on or before 9th October, 2015, 11:59 PM via
Speed Post or Courier. The address for correspondence is as specified in Rule
9.1.

c. Upon completion of the above steps, the duly filled Travel Form (Annexure-II) is to be emailed to probonoenviro2015@gmail.com on or before 12th October, 2015, 11:59 PM.
d. Teams that have completed Registration in accordance with the above shall be assigned a
Team Code on or before 13th October, 2015, 11:59 PM. Henceforth, all correspondence
to the Organising Committee shall specify only the Team Code.
e. No alteration in the Team Composition shall be permitted after the receipt of the
Registration Form, except at the sole discretion of the Organising Committee.

1.4 DRESS CODE:

a. Participants shall be appropriately attired for the rounds of the competition. Robes and
collar bands are not permitted.
b. The Dress Code for the Inauguration, Researchers Test, Oral Rounds and
Valedictory & Prize Distribution shall strictly be:
i.

For Gentlemen - Western Formals (White formal shirt with black formal pants
and a black blazer); and

ii.

For Ladies - Western Formals (White formal shirt with black formal pants/black
formal skirt and a black blazer) or Indian Formals (white kurta with black pants
and either a black waistcoat or black blazer).

c. On other occasions while on campus, participants may wear casuals or formals at their
convenience.
2. CLARIFICATIONS
Clarifications to the Moot Proposition and the Rules regarding submission of the Memorandum
shall be sought by sending an e-mail to probonoenviro2015@gmail.com on or before 15th
October, 2015, 11:59 PM. Clarifications sent after this date shall not be entertained at any cost.
The List of Clarifications shall be released on 18th October, 2015.
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9TH PRO BONO ENVIRO NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION, 2015

3. MEMORANDUM/WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS
3.1 SUBMISSION OF MEMORANDUM:
a. Participants are required to submit Memorandum or Written Submissions for both the
Petitioner and the Respondent.
b. Teams shall e-mail two Soft Copies each of the Memorandums, in PDF and Microsoft
Word formats, i.e. four (4) separate file attachments, titled Team CodeP and Team
CodeR for the Petitioner and Respondent respectively, on or before 23rd October, 2015,
11:59 PM to probonoenviro2015@gmail.com. For example, if the assigned team code is
21, the team shall title the Memorandums as 21P and 21R respectively. The Soft Copy
should be compatible with at least Microsoft Word 2003. Late submission shall attract
penalties in accordance with Rule 3.3.
c. Only the Team Code shall be specified on the Memorandum. Any reference to the
participating institution/college/university shall result in immediate disqualification.
d. Teams shall send One (1) Hard Copy each of the Petitioner and Respondent
Memorandums on or before 26th October, 2015, 11:59 PM via Speed Post or Courier to
the address mentioned in Rule 9.1. Late submission shall attract penalties in accordance
with Rule 3.3. On mailing the Hard Copy, participants are requested to e-mail
probonoenviro2015@gmail.com providing the relevant Tracking ID or Tracing
Consignment Number of the Speed Post or Courier service.
e. No amendment to the memorandum shall be permitted after submission of the soft copies.
Variation found in the Hard Copy shall be penalised in accordance with Rule 3.3.
f. The last date for sending the Hard Copy of the Memorandum with penalties is 28th
October, 2015, 11:59 PM beyond which the same shall not be accepted at any cost. Teams
not submitting the Hard Copy by the aforesaid date may be listed last for the purpose of
determination of fixtures for the Preliminary Rounds and the Memorandum Score shall not
be added to the Oral Rounds Score for the Total Score in the Preliminary Rounds. Teams
must note that the Memorandum Score shall not be considered even if the Soft Copy has
been e-mailed but the Hard Copy has not been received by the Organising Committee on
the abovementioned date. Exceptions may be made at the sole discretion of the Organising
Committee.

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9TH PRO BONO ENVIRO NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION, 2015

g. Six (6) Hard Copies of each of the Petitioner and Respondent Memorandums shall be
submitted during the Team Registration on 30th October, 2015.
h. Participants are advised to carry additional copies of their Memorandum for their own use.
Copies submitted to the Organising Committee shall be used for the evaluation of the
Memorandum, for the Exchange of Memorandum and for the Judges Bench for each of the
Oral Rounds.
i. The Organising Committee reserves the right to use the memorandum submitted by the
participating teams, as it deems appropriate. The memorandum submitted shall not be
returned to the participants.
3.2 CONTENTS OF THE MEMORANDUM:
a. Each Memorandum shall contain at least the following sections:
i. Cover Page (shall include Year of the Competition, Cause Title, Forum/Court,
designation as Petitioner or Respondent Memo, Team Code on the top right
corner - e.g. 21P or 21R)
ii. Table of Contents
iii. Index of Authorities
iv. Statement of Jurisdiction (strictly restrict to 1 page)
v. Summary/Statement of Facts (strictly restrict to 1 page; argumentative Statement
of Facts shall be penalised)
vi. Issues Raised/Questions Presented
vii. Summary of Arguments/Pleadings
viii. Arguments Advanced/Written Pleadings (strictly restrict to 20 pages or less)
ix. Prayer
b. The following content specifications shall be strictly adhered to:
Language: English
Body Font & Size: Times New Roman, 12; Line Spacing: 1.5
[The spacing need not be followed for the Cover Page, any Tabular Column,
Header or Footer]
Footnotes Font & Size: Times New Roman, 10; Line Spacing: 1.0; Paragraph
Spacing: None; No additional space between footnotes

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9TH PRO BONO ENVIRO NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION, 2015

Alignment (Body & Footnotes): Justified
Margin: 1 inch on all 4 sides
Citation Method: The Bluebook, A Uniform System of Citation, Harvard Law
Review, 19th edition
Substantive Footnoting is strictly prohibited.
c. The following printing specifications shall be strictly adhered to:
i.

The Cover Page shall be:

Blue for Petitioner Memorandum
Red for Respondent Memorandum

ii.

Only white A4 sized paper shall be used for all other pages. Use of recycled
papers is encouraged.

iii.

The Memorandums shall be printed on both sides. Each side shall be counted as
one page.

iv.

The Memorandums shall be staple bound with two/three staples on the left
margin. No other form of binding shall be accepted. The use of plastic/cellophane
sheets or films shall attract penalties.

v.

The Memorandums shall not contain any Annexures/Appendices, Photographs,

Sketches, Exhibits, Affidavits, etc.

3.3 EVALUATION OF THE MEMORANDUM:

a. Each Memorandum shall be marked on a total of 100 points. The Memorandum Score
added to the Oral Rounds Score during the Preliminary Rounds shall be for the respective
Round, i.e. the Petitioner Memorandum Score shall be added to the Oral Score while
arguing for the Petitioner and the Respondent Memorandum Score shall be added to the
Oral Score while arguing for the Respondent.
b. The Best Memorandum Award shall be given to the team with the highest aggregate
score out of 200 for both the Memorandums.
c. The Memorandum will be evaluated by a separate panel of judges who will not Judge in
the Oral Rounds.
d. The Memorandum Score will be used in determining the fixtures for the Preliminary
Rounds in accordance with Rule 4.5.

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9TH PRO BONO ENVIRO NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION, 2015

e. The following shall be the judging criteria:
Knowledge of law & depth of research

20

Use of authority/precedents

20

Incorporation of facts into the arguments

10

Interpretation of applicable law

10

Clarity of thought and organisation of arguments

15

Style of Presentation

10

Originality

10

Relief sought

f. Penalties shall be attracted in the following manner:

VIOLATION

PENALTY

Late Submission - Soft Copy

1 point per day per Memo

Late Submission - Hard Copy

2 points per day per Memo

Any violation under Rule 3.2 (a.)

1 point for each violation under the Rule

Any violation under Rule 3.2 (b.)

0.5 point for each violation under the Rule

Any violation under Rule 3.2 (c.)

1 point for each violation under the Rule

Variation in content between Soft Copy

and Hard Copy

0.5 point for each variation

Violation of Anonymity

Disqualification

4. ORAL ROUNDS
4.1 GENERAL PROCEDURE:
a. Teams are requested to bring their appropriate institution ID cards along with the six (6)
hard copies of the Memorandums for each side to be submitted during the formal
registration on 30th October, 2015.
b. The language to be used during the Rounds is English.
c. The Competition shall consist of the following rounds:
i.

Preliminary Rounds; and

ii.

Advanced Rounds:

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9TH PRO BONO ENVIRO NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION, 2015

(i) Quarter-finals,
(ii) Semi-finals,
(iii)Finals.
d. During each of the abovementioned rounds, the order in which the teams shall present
their arguments is as follows:
i.

Petitioner Speaker 1

ii.

Petitioner Speaker 2

iii.

Respondent Speaker 1

iv.

Respondent Speaker 2

v.

Rebuttal: Petitioner - Any one of the two Speakers

vi.

Sur-rebuttal: Respondent - Any one of the two Speakers

Sur-rebuttal may be permitted only at the discretion of the Judges.

e. The Best Speaker Award shall be determined on the basis of the individual aggregate
score of the Speaker taken only from the Preliminary Rounds.
f. The Researcher shall not be permitted to address the Court during the Oral Rounds. The
Researcher may however, be permitted to pass notes to the Speakers at the discretion of
the Judges.
g. Teams are not permitted to raise issues in the Oral Rounds that have not been submitted
in the Memorandum.
h. The use of mobile phones, laptops, or any other electronic gadgets is strictly prohibited
during the Oral Rounds.
i. Participants may use their own bare acts, print outs and commentaries provided that
anonymity is not violated during the Rounds.
j. The decision of the Judges as to the marks allotted to each team shall be final.
k. So as to ensure uniformity in the marking system all Judges will be provided with a
scoring guideline.
4.2 SPLITTING OF TIME BETWEEN SPEAKERS:
a. Teams shall notify the Bench Clerks of the division of time between the 2 Speakers
(including time reserved for Rebuttal & Sur-rebuttal) 10 minutes prior to the
commencement of the Rounds.
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9TH PRO BONO ENVIRO NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION, 2015

b. If Speaker 1 exceeds his/her reserved time, the additional time taken shall be deducted
from the time reserved by Speaker 2. Similarly, if Speaker 2 exceeds his/her reserved
time, the additional time taken shall be deducted from the time reserved for
Rebuttals/Sur-Rebuttals as the case may be. This rule may not be followed if the
additional time is awarded at the discretion of the Judges to not be deducted from the
time of the subsequent Speaker.
c. While granting additional time, if the additional number of minutes granted is not
specified by the Judges, it shall be presumed that the additional time granted is 2 minutes.
d. The finality of the decision as to the time structure and the right to Rebut or Sur-rebut
shall vest with the Judges.
4.3 COMPENDIUM:
a. All relevant case laws and statutory material to be passed on to the Judges during the Oral
Rounds may be submitted in the form of a Compendium 10 minutes prior to the
commencement of the Rounds to the Bench Clerks.
b. The Compendium shall not exceed 50 pages whether printed on one side or both sides.
For this purpose, each side shall be considered as one page.
c. Participants are also permitted to pass on relevant material to the Judges, at their
discretion, any time after the commencement of the Rounds and before its completion.
d. The Compendium or other relevant materials shall be returned to the participants after the
completion of each Round.
e. Participants shall ensure that anonymity is not violated while passing on any material to
the Judges. If any mark, name, seal, symbol or logo of the institution/college/university is
present, participants must ensure that the same is rendered unrecognisable.
4.4 EXCHANGE OF MEMORANDUM:
a. The exchange of memorandum shall take place prior to each Oral Round as planned in
the Tentative Schedule.
b. Teams are prohibited from making any marks on the memorandum thus exchanged.
Teams are also prohibited from taking photocopies of such memorandums.

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9TH PRO BONO ENVIRO NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION, 2015

c. The opponents memorandum shall be returned to the Bench Clerks after the completion
of each Round.
4.5 PRELIMINARY ROUNDS:
a. Every team shall argue twice in the Preliminary Rounds, once for the Petitioner and once
for the Respondent.
b. No two teams shall face each other more than once in the Preliminary Rounds.
c. The fixtures for the Preliminary Rounds will be based on dynamic seeding or power
matching. The top eight (8) teams based on the Memorandum Score will not face each
other during the Preliminary Rounds.
d. Each side shall get a maximum time of 30 minutes to present their arguments of which
no Speaker shall be permitted to address the Court for more than 18 minutes. The time
limit is inclusive of the time for Rebuttal or Sur-rebuttal respectively. The maximum time
for Rebuttal is 2 minutes and the maximum time for Sur-rebuttal is 1 minute.
e. The Total Score of the Preliminary Rounds shall be a combined score of the
Memorandum Score as well as the Oral Rounds Score.
f. The top eight (8) teams from the Preliminary Rounds shall advance to the Quarter-finals.
g. The top eight teams shall qualify on the basis of the maximum number of wins per team.
In the event of a tie, the aggregate score of the team shall be considered.
4.6 ADVANCED ROUNDS:
a. Every team shall argue once in each of the Advanced Rounds.
b. The side to be argued shall be determined on a Pick of Lots.
c. The qualification of teams to subsequent rounds shall be on a knock-out basis for each of
the Advanced Rounds. In the event of a tie, the aggregate score of the team shall be
considered.
d. The Memorandum Score shall not be considered for any of the Advanced Rounds.
4.6.1 QUARTER-FINALS
i.

The maximum time for arguments per side shall be the same as in the
Preliminary Rounds.
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9TH PRO BONO ENVIRO NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION, 2015

ii.

The top four (4) teams from the Quarter-finals shall advance to the Semi-finals.

4.6.2 SEMI-FINALS
i.

Each side shall get a maximum time of 45 minutes to present their arguments of
which no Speaker shall be permitted to address the Court for more than 25
minutes. The time limit is inclusive of the time for Rebuttal or Sur-rebuttal
respectively. The maximum time for Rebuttal is 5 minutes and the maximum time
for Sur-rebuttal is 2 minutes.

ii.

The top two (2) teams from the Semi-finals shall advance to the Finals.

4.6.3 FINALS
i.

The maximum time for arguments per side shall be the same as in the Semifinals.

ii.

The winner of the Final Round shall be declared the Winner of the Competition.

iii.

The Best Speaker in the Finals shall be determined based on the individual scores
of the Speakers in the Finals.

4.7 SCOUTING:
a. Scouting is strictly prohibited.
b. Any person may submit a complaint regarding Scouting to the Organising Committee.
c. Teams found scouting shall be disqualified immediately.
4.8 DELAYS IN APPEARANCE/PRESENTATION:
If a team scheduled to take part in a Round does not appear within 10 minutes of the scheduled
time, the other team present shall be allowed to submit ex-parte.
5. RESEARCHERS TEST
a. The Researchers Test shall be conducted on the 30th of October, 2015 as per the
Tentative Schedule.

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9TH PRO BONO ENVIRO NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION, 2015

b. In a team consisting of three members, the member designated as Researcher shall take
part in the test. In a team consisting of two members, one of the two Speakers shall take
part in the test.
c. Participants are requested to write only the Team Code on the question paper.
d. The Researchers Test shall be in the format of Multiple Choice Questions with the
questions based on the applicable law, precedents and facts pertaining to the Moot
Proposition.
e. The duration of the Researchers Test shall be 45 minutes.
f. No additional material such as the bare text of Acts, Memorandum, etc. apart from
stationery may be brought by the participant to the test and no such material shall be
provided by the Organising Committee.
g. The Winner of the Test shall be determined by the highest score attained and negative
marking shall not be given while evaluating.
6. AWARDS
The following Awards shall be given away during the Valedictory & Prize Distribution:
Winner of the Competition: Cash Prize and Trophy
Runner-up of the Competition: Cash Prize and Trophy
Best Memorandum: Cash prize and Trophy
Best Speaker: Cash prize and Trophy
Best Researcher: Cash Prize and Trophy
Best Speaker in the Finals: Cash Prize and Trophy
a. All participants of the Competition will be given Certificates.
b. All teams shall be present during the Valedictory & Prize Distribution. Certificates will
only be given to the teams present during the Valedictory & Prize Distribution.

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9TH PRO BONO ENVIRO NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION, 2015

7. ACCOMMODATION, TRANSPORT & FOOD:
a. Accommodation and transport shall be provided to the participating teams from the
morning of 30th October, 2015 till the morning of 2nd November, 2015.
b. Food shall be provided to the teams from the afternoon of 30th October, 2015 till the
night of 1st November, 2015.
c. Any specific requirements regarding accommodation must be specified in the Travel
Form. Such requirements may be accommodated at the discretion of the Organising
Committee.
d. Facilities such as photocopying, library usage, internet connectivity, etc. may be provided
subject to the convenience of the Organising Committee and will be informed to the
teams closer to the commencement of the Competition. Irrespective, participants are
requested to make their own arrangements for the same.
e. All facilities shall be provided only to the registered members of a team and no additional
members, parents, observers, coaches or faculty advisors shall be accommodated at any
cost.
8. MISCELLANEOUS
8.1 GENERAL ETIQUETTE:
a. Participants are expected to behave in a dignified manner and not to cause any
inconvenience to the Organising Committee, the Judges of the Competition or any of the
other participants.
b. The Organising Committee reserves the right to take appropriate action for any unethical,
unprofessional or immoral conduct.
8.2 INTERPRETATION OF RULES & REGULATIONS:
a. All interpretations, as well as any waivers, consents or other decisions in the
administration of the Competition are at the complete discretion of the Host Institution
and the Organising Committee.
b. Any decision made by the Host Institution or the Organising Committee shall be final and
binding on all participating teams.
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9TH PRO BONO ENVIRO NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION, 2015

9. CORRESPONDENCE/CONTACT DETAILS
9.1 REGISTRATION FORMALITIES & MEMORANDUM SUBMISSIONS:
The physical address for correspondence for all Registration Formalities and Memorandum
Submissions is:
Organising Committee
9th Pro Bono Enviro National Moot Court Competition, 2015
Moot Court Association, School of Excellence in Law
Poompozhil, No. 5, Dr. D.G.S. Dinakaran Salai
Chennai 600028
Tamil Nadu, India.
9.2 MOOT PROPOSITION AND RULES & REGULATIONS:
Any and all clarifications regarding the Moot Proposition and Rules & Regulations shall be
sought only via e-mail at the following addresses:
probonoenviro2015@gmail.com, cc: mca.soel@gmail.com
9.3 OTHER QUERIES:
Any other queries may be directed at the following persons:
REGISTRATION

HOSPITALITY

Vadhana Bhaskar: + 91 9791121793

Salai Varun Isai Azhagan: + 91 9677958816

Ashwathy Nair S.: +91 9789045431

Ashwin Kumaar M.: + 91 9677745023

Divya Ranjani: + 91 9543566480

T. Shrinikethan: +91 8056255861

Chindan K.: +91 9677287956

Bhargavi Kannan: +91 9789877129

Participants may keep themselves updated by following:

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Moot-Court-Association-School-of-Excellence-in-Law-

201136933274208/timeline/
Website: www.mcasoel13.webs.com

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9TH PRO BONO ENVIRO NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION, 2015

ANNEXURE - I
REGISTRATION FORM
(Please fill in Capital Letters)

INSTITUTION DETAILS
NAME OF THE INSTITUTION/COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY: __________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
ADDRESS OF THE INSTITUTION/COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY: _______________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
CONTACT NO.: _______________________ E-MAIL ID: _______________________________

PARTICIPATING TEAM DETAILS

1. SPEAKER 1| NAME: ___________________________________________________________
SEX: ____

YEAR & COURSE OF STUDY: _______________________

CONTACT NO.: _______________________ E-MAIL ID: _______________________________

2. SPEAKER 2| NAME: ___________________________________________________________

SEX: ____

YEAR & COURSE OF STUDY: _______________________

CONTACT NO.: _______________________ E-MAIL ID: _______________________________

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9TH PRO BONO ENVIRO NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION, 2015

3. RESEARCHER| NAME: _________________________________________________________
SEX: ____

YEAR & COURSE OF STUDY: _______________________

CONTACT NO.: _______________________ E-MAIL ID: _______________________________

PASSPORT SIZE
PHOTOGRAPH OF
SPEAKER 1

PASSPORT SIZE
PHOTOGRAPH OF
SPEAKER 2

PASSPORT SIZE
PHOTOGRAPH OF
RESEARCHER

OFFICIAL TEAM CONTACT PERSON (TICK THE APPROPRIATE):

SPEAKER 1/SPEAKER 2/RESEARCHER

PLACE:
DATE:

SIGNATURE & SEAL OF THE HEAD OF THE INSTITUTION

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9TH PRO BONO ENVIRO NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION, 2015

ANNEXURE - II
TRAVEL FORM
(Please fill in Capital Letters)

DETAILS OF ARRIVAL
MODE OF TRANSPORT (AIR/RAIL/ROAD): __________________________________________
STATION OF ARRIVAL: __________________________________________________________
FLIGHT/TRAIN/BUS NAME & NO.: _________________________________________________
DATE & TIME OF ARRIVAL: ______________________________________________________

DETAILS OF DEPARTURE
MODE OF TRANSPORT (AIR/RAIL/ROAD): __________________________________________
STATION OF DEPARTURE: ________________________________________________________
FLIGHT/TRAIN/BUS NAME & NO.: _________________________________________________
DATE & TIME OF DEPARTURE: ___________________________________________________
ANY OTHER DETAILS CONCERNING ACCOMMODATION & TRAVEL:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Closest Airport: Chennai International Airport, Domestic Terminal (MAA)
Closest Train Stations: Chennai Central Railway Station (MAS); Chennai Egmore Railway
Station (MS).
There are several drop-off and pick-up points for the Bus service. Specify the relevant one.
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9TH PRO BONO ENVIRO NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION, 2015

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

DATE

TIME

24.09.2015

EVENT
Release of Official Invite, Moot Proposition, Rules &
Regulations, and Tentative Schedule
REGISTRATION FORMALITIES

30.09.2015

11:59 PM

Provisional Registration

06.10.2015

11:59 PM

Registration Form & Demand Draft - Soft Copy

09.10.2015

11:59 PM

Registration Form & Demand Draft - Hard Copy

12.10.2015

11:59 PM

Travel Form

13.10.2015

Dispatch of Team Codes

SUBMISSIONS

15.10.2015

11:59 PM

Submission of required Clarifications

18.10.2015

11:59 PM

Release of List of Clarifications

23.10.2015

11:59 PM

Submission of Memorandum - Soft Copies

26.10.2015

11:59 PM

Submission of Memorandum - Hard Copies

ORAL ROUNDS
Lunch
Team Registration
Inauguration & Orientation of Participants

30.10.2015

Release of Fixtures for Preliminary Rounds

Exchange of Memorandum for Preliminary Rounds
Researchers Test
Dinner
Breakfast
Preliminary Round 1
Preliminary Round 2

31.10.2015

Lunch
Results of Preliminary Rounds
Draw of Lots & Exchange of Memorandum for Quarter-finals

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9TH PRO BONO ENVIRO NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION, 2015

Quarter-final Rounds
Results of Quarter-final Rounds
Draw of Lots & Exchange of Memorandum for Semi-finals
Dinner
Breakfast
Semi-final Rounds
Results of Semi-final Rounds
Draw of Lots & Exchange of Memorandum for Finals
01.11.2015

Lunch
Final Round
Valedictory & Prize Distribution
Dinner

A more detailed schedule will be provided to the participants on arrival.

The above schedule is subject to change by the Organising Committee. Participants will be duly
informed if any such changes are made.

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9TH PRO BONO ENVIRO NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION, 2015

ORGANISING COMMITTEE
I.

FACULTY CO-ORDINATORS

Dr. R. Srinivasan
DDE & Chief Co-ordinator

Mr. Ranjit Oommen Abraham

Assistant Professor

Mr. M. Sunil Gladson

Assistant Professor

Dr. D. Umamaheswari
Assistant Professor

II.

MOOT COURT ASSOCIATION, SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE IN LAW

PRESIDENT

VICE-PRESIDENT

Salai Varun Isai Azhagan

Vadhana Bhaskar

SECRETARY

ADDITIONAL SECRETARY

Anbarasi G.

Ashwin Kumaar M.
JOINT SECRETARIES

Ashwathy Nair S.

Ranjana G.
YEAR REPRESENTATIVES

Sri Ramya

T. Shrinikethan

Divya Ranjani

Chindan K.

Sudharsana Manivannan

Bhargavi Kannan

V. Shathurthi Raja

Divya R.

Pooja Damodaren

III.

AD HOC COMMITTEE TO THE MOOT COURT ASSOCIATION FOR THE 9TH PRO BONO

ENVIRO NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION, 2015

Shloka Narayanan

Amritha Sathyajith

Anugraha B. Sridhar

L. Sruthi

T. Poornima Devi

Romita Sekar

Swadhi Subramaniam

Kripa Sankari

Saitanya K.

27