In Exclusive conversation with Dr. Mukulita Vijayawargiya, Additional Secretary Ministry of law and Justice

Hello readers. Once again, we are here with a very special guest! Dr. Mukulita Vijayawargiya. She is the Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Law & Justice, Legislative Department, Government of India, New Delhi. She has a vast experience of 35 years in various fields of law. For more than 30 years she has been in state and central government service holding class I post in legal field. She joined the Ministry of Law and Justice in the Law Commission of India in 1999 as Deputy Law officer. She joined the Legislative department of Ministry of Law and Justice in 2003 as Deputy Legislative Counsel. She has been associated with drafting/vetting of more than 100 legislative proposals in the legislative department.

She has served as an Assistant professor at Indore for more than 12 years (1986-1989). She has also practiced law for a period of 6 years (1979-1985). Further she has been a visiting scholar in Japan and Australia. She has published a number of articles in various journals and is co-author of two books.

We were really honored to have such an eminent legal luminary with us.

Legal Bites: Hello ma’am, it’s an honor and privilege to have you here with us for this interview.

Dr. Mukulita: Thank You.

Legal Bites: Ma’am you have been associated with legal field for almost four decades, how will you like to share your experience?

Dr. Mukulita: I have seen law from all the quarters as a student, lawyer, professor and government official. As a student studying something then as a teacher preaching something and as an officer applying something, same coin with a different angle. As an officer I learnt a lot policy making decision of government so naturally I learnt the process. People keep saying that government is doing nothing but there are constraints because we work within a system within a legal framework all those steps are required to finalize things into a proper shape.

Legal Bites: Ma’am what is constitutionalism and how can we attain the goals set up by our constitution?

Dr. Mukulita: Constitutionalism is the idea that government can and should be legally limited in its powers, and that its authority or legitimacy depends on its observing these limitations. In the constitution broad principles are enunciated. It is for the state govt. to device the mechanisms to implement these principles at the state level, district level and panchayat level. Because of geographical variations and other diversities implementation may vary.

Legal Bites: Ma’am the syllabus prescribed by Bar Council is more theory oriented, what suggestions you would like to give for improvement?

Dr. Mukulita: It is a set fact that profession is all practice of law, advocates are officers of the court actually they are one of the components of justice delivery system so they should try that as per the provisions of law, justice is delivered and for that purpose one has to be very sound and knowledgeable of law and its philosophies. What is lacking is that we teach students provisions of law but not the philosophies, background and pros and cons of that law.

Legal Bites: Ma’am in India we are not enjoying the fruits of Democracy due to various factors such as illiteracy and poverty, your comments.

Dr. Mukulita: The govt. is trying to improve the system and is going to bring in electoral reforms and certainly it will improve the election system and the problem which you posed before me will be eradicated.

I think Indians have toppled the govt. and they have reflected the will of the people so here we don’t have a doubt that they are not capable.

Legal Bites: Ma’am what message will you like to give do our readers?

Dr. Mukulita: We all should pursued others to study law, and the students must campaign for public awareness that will be a big contribution towards nation building. They should strive for knowledge of law first then only action. We need to instill more faith in the system by spreading awareness.

Legal Bites: Thank you so much mam for your valuable comments and time. We wish you all the best in all your endeavors.

{This short interview was brought to you by Mayank, Shringar and Nihal Rao}