Himachal Pradesh University’s Institute of Legal Studies (HPUILS), Shimla emerged as the winner in the first edition of the ‘Ahilya Bai Holkar Legal Excellence Moot Court’ competition held at the Himachal Pradesh High Court here.

The HPUILS team, comprising Vibhav Vasudeva, Varsha Bhargav, and Himani Bhagat, secured the first position in the moot court competition, which drew law students from across the State to demonstrate their legal acumen and advocacy skills. The event was organised by the Adhivakta Parishad Himachal Pradesh High Court unit, aimed at providing a platform for aspiring lawyers to engage with complex legal scenarios in a simulated courtroom environment, and was presided over by senior advocates and legal luminaries.

“The students from the University Institute of Legal Studies, Shimla, bagged the first position in the competition, while the runner-up position was secured by the team from the Department of Law, Himachal Pradesh University (HPU),” Avinash Jariyal, general secretary of the Adhivakta Parishad High Court unit, said on Sunday (March 31, 2025). The competition provided an opportunity for students to engage in legal discourse while paying tribute to Ahilyabai Holkar on the 300th birth anniversary of the visionary leader, Mr. Jariyal added. 

The competition, which was held on March 30 as part of a series of events celebrating International Women’s Day, featured a challenging moot court problem on women-centric issues, encouraging participants to delve into intricate questions of law and policy. Teams of law students from eight law schools and universities from across the State participated in the event, including HPUILS, Shimla; Bahara University, Waknaghat; APG University, Shimla; Himachal Pradesh University’s Regional Centre, Dharamshala; L.R. Institute of Legal Studies, Solan; School of Law, Shoolini University, Solan; DDM Sai Law College, Hamirpur; and the Department of Law, HPU, Shimla.