ILS Law College Pune Hosts Grand Final of Prestigious National Indirect Tax Moot Court Competition
The Indian Law Society's (ILS) Law College in Pune recently served as the distinguished venue for the Grand Final of the highly anticipated 3rd National Indirect Tax Moot Court Competition. This premier event was jointly organized by the Chamber of Tax Consultants (CTC) and ILS Law College, solidifying its unique status as India's only moot court competition exclusively dedicated to the intricate domain of indirect tax laws.
Rigorous Competition Culminates in Pune Showcase
Following a series of intense online preliminary rounds conducted in December 2025, the competition narrowed down to two exceptional finalist teams. These teams presented their meticulously prepared arguments before an eminent bench comprising Justice Milind N. Jadhav of the Bombay High Court and the esteemed retired Justice Shrikant Kulkarni. The final moot proposition presented participants with a challenging scenario involving complex legal issues, including the applicability of pre-GST excise orders under the current GST regime, intricate classification disputes, and nuanced jurisdictional challenges. This rigorous test was designed to evaluate and hone the participants' advanced interpretative skills and professional advocacy capabilities.
Celebrating Excellence: Winners and Award Recipients
The team from Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU) in Raipur, represented by Mahi Agrawal, Ananya Mishra, and Ambati Nupur Rao, demonstrated exceptional prowess to emerge as the national champions. They were awarded a cash prize of ₹15,000 for their victory. The runner-up position was secured by the talented team from the National Law Institute University (NLIU), consisting of Sahil Yadav, Hiya Saxena, and Priyam Soni, who received a prize of ₹10,000.
Excellence in written submissions was recognized with the Best Memorial award, which was won by Symbiosis Law School (SLS), Pune. The team members, Mannat Kaur Sodhi, Shashwat Shiwam, and Sneha Gupta, were awarded ₹5,000. In the category of oratory skill, the Best Speaker award of ₹5,000 was presented to Hariroopan Mathan from The Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Law University, School of Excellence in Law. The Second Best Speaker award, carrying a prize of ₹2,500, was awarded to Simer Ghuman of Gujarat National Law University.
Academic Legacy and Professional Insights Highlighted
The valedictory ceremony provided a platform to celebrate academic excellence and professional guidance. Principal Dr Deepa Paturkar and Professor Dr Divya Mittal eloquently highlighted the rich academic legacy and ongoing initiatives of ILS Law College. Former CTC president Advocate Ajay Singh and CA Namrata Dedhia, chairperson of the CTC Student Committee, engaged with the students, offering valuable briefings on the organization's extensive academic and professional activities. The distinguished judges also shared invaluable insights from their vast judicial experience during an interactive session with the participants.
National Participation and Organizational Framework
The competition witnessed robust participation from 16 teams representing leading law institutions across numerous Indian cities, including Ahmedabad, Bhubaneswar, Bhopal, Bengaluru, Chennai, Gandhinagar, Goa, Hyderabad, Pune, Raipur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Tiruchirappalli, and Tripura. The preliminary, quarter-final, and semi-final rounds were held online on December 20 and 21. These rounds were adjudicated by a panel of senior legal and financial experts, including CA Naresh Sheth, CA Rajiv Luthia, Advocate Anil Balani, and Advocate K S Naveen Kumar.
The event's successful execution was coordinated by CA Namrata Dedhia, CA Charmi G Shah, and CA Mansi Nagda from the CTC, working in collaboration with faculty coordinators Dr Divya Mittal and Prof Bhumika Rathod. The entire endeavor was conducted under the esteemed guidance of Dr Deepa Paturkar, Principal of ILS Law College.
Shaping the Future of Tax Law Professionals
A representative from the CTC emphasized that the final round represented the intellectual culmination of weeks of dedicated preparation, providing the finalists with unparalleled exposure to real-world tax litigation standards under direct judicial scrutiny. The organizers affirmed that the competition successfully reinforced the critical importance of specialized mooting exercises in shaping the future generation of tax professionals. By offering students hands-on, practical advocacy experience and direct exposure to contemporary indirect tax disputes, the event serves as a vital bridge between academic theory and professional practice in the dynamic field of tax law.
