State to get residential law college

Named after the Mitakshara author Vijnaneshwara, the college will be set up at Martur

The college, to be affiliated to the Karnataka State Law University, was sanctioned at the August 27 meeting of the State Cabinet here. The Cabinet had decided to name the college after the 11th century legal luminary, Vijnaneshwara whose “Mitakshara” laid the foundation for law in India.

It is now understood that the government is contemplating making the proposed institution a state-of-the-art residential law college on par with the National Law Schools, in terms of infrastructure and educational standards.

Vijnaneshwara’s ‘Mitakshara’, a commentary to the Yajnavalkya Smriti provided the only system of law existed in the whole of India from the 11th century till India attained Independence. According to the inscription at Martur, it was here that the legendary law giver Vijnaneshwara lived and wrote his famous work.

Martur has already attained prominence with the Gulbarga-based cooperative institution Vijnaneshwara Sahakara Souharda headed by former Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court, and former Governor of Jharkhand and Bihar, M Rama Jois, constructing a `Vijnaneshwara Smarak Bhavan’ along with a well equipped library.

In its six-acre campus, Sahakara Souharda also plans to construct ‘Vijnaneshwara Park’ comprising among others Children Park, Navagraha Vana, amphitheatre, water fountain, walking path, community hall and solar lamps. Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has already laid foundation for the park and released a grant of Rs one crore.

Karnataka Law University Vice-Chancellor J S Patil told Deccan Herald that the purpose of developing Martur was aimed at making it a law institution of the national standard that would attract students from all over the country.

Rs 5-crore project

It will have a college building, residential rooms for students and residential quarters for the teaching staff. A comprehensive plan costing about Rs 5 crore would be submitted to the government shortly.

The university is also thinking of establishing its first post graduation centre at Martur campus. Plans are afoot to have academic tie-up with institutions of national repute, such as the National Law School of India University, Bangalore. To start with the centre will offer basic a degree course in law and later PG courses.

Although the Martur campus can claim to have a good academic atmosphere, it needs improved transport facilities, given its distance from Gulbarga city.