The National Law School of India Review (NLSIR) has unveiled the theme for the first Chief Justice ES Venkataramiah Memorial Best Essay Prize. This prestigious competition will focus on the theme: “Does the Constitution Choose an Economic Model? Directive Principles and the Question of Ideological Neutrality.”
This theme is inspired by the 2024 Supreme Court’s landmark decision in the case of Property Owners’ Association v. State of Maharashtra. In this significant ruling, a nine-judge Bench examined whether privately owned properties are encompassed within the term “material resources of the community” as outlined in Article 39(b) of the Indian Constitution. This Article, part of the Directive Principles of State Policy, mandates the equitable distribution of community resources by the State for the public good.
The majority opinion, led by then Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, concluded that private properties do not fall under this category. The judgment emphasized that the Constitution does not commit India to a specific economic ideology, and treating all private property as community resources would imply endorsing a particular economic framework, which the Constitution does not do. Justice BV Nagarathna, a member of the Bench, wrote a partially concurring opinion, while Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia dissented.
NLSIR encourages participants to use this case as a basis to delve into whether, and how, the Constitution supports, allows, or rejects specific economic models. Essayists are invited to analyze whether the Constitution and its Directive Principles regarding ownership, distribution, and the common good can maintain neutrality between competing economic ideologies, or whether interpreting these principles inherently involves normative decisions about property rights, market dynamics, redistribution, and the State’s role.
Strong submissions will incorporate comparative constitutional perspectives, along with insights from political and economic theory. The competition is open to undergraduate law students from any institution recognized by the Bar Council of India (BCI). Entries should be original, unpublished, single-authored essays written in English and must pass anti-plagiarism checks. Participants must also submit a bonafide certificate, signed by an appropriate authority, verifying their enrollment as undergraduate law students at the time of submission.
Essays should be between 8,000 and 10,000 words, including footnotes. The formatting requirements include Times New Roman font, size 12, with 1.5 line spacing on A4-sized paper, and citations following the OSCOLA guide. Submissions must adhere to the NLSIR Style Guide and other posted policies on the NLSIR Repository.
Entries can be submitted via a Google form available on the NLSIR website, starting September 1, with no prior registration or fee required. The deadline for submissions is October 10, 2026. The winning essay will be published in NLSIR, and the author will receive a cash prize of ₹25,000 alongside a citation plaque.
For further information or queries, entrants can contact nlsir.communications@nls.ac.in. Established in June, the Prize is supported by Justice BV Nagarathna of the Supreme Court of India and her daughter, Advocate Nayana Tara BG, in honor of the late Chief Justice of India, Venkataramiah.
