Call for Abstracts | CNLU Panchayati Raj Law Journal: Submit by Feb 28

About CNLU

Chanakya National Law University (CNLU) is a public law school and a National Law University in Patna, Bihar, India. It was established in 2006 by the Government of Bihar (Bihar Act 24 of 2006) as a public university dedicated to the field of legal education. The Chief Justice of Patna High Court is the ex officio chancellor of the university. It is one of the autonomous law schools in India. The campus is situated right near the heart of the city in the Mithapur area and has an area of approximately 18 Acres.

About The Chair Professor, Panchayati Raj

The Chair Professor, Panchayati Raj at Chanakya National Law University promotes rigorous academic inquiry into the theory and practice of local self-governance in India. It focuses on the constitutional, legal, and institutional framework of Panchayati Raj, with emphasis on democratic decentralisation, grassroots justice, and institutional strengthening.

The Chair supports interdisciplinary research, evidence-based policymaking, and capacity-building initiatives, including training programmes for elected representatives of Gram Panchayats and Gram Kachahari. Through seminars, workshops, conferences, and collaborations, it seeks to contribute meaningfully to the evolution of local self-governance in India.

About CNLU Panchayati Raj Law Journal

The CNLU Panchayati Raj Law Journal is a peer-reviewed academic journal dedicated to advancing scholarship on Panchayati Raj and local governance. It provides a rigorous platform for cutting-edge research, theoretical analysis, and empirical studies on decentralisation, fiscal federalism, financial autonomy, social inclusion, rural development, and grassroots democracy.

The journal welcomes contributions from scholars, academicians, researchers, legal practitioners, policymakers, and development professionals, and seeks to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and evidence-based policy formulation to strengthen local self-government institutions in India and beyond.

Selected quality papers may be invited for presentation at a conference organised by the Chair Panchayati Raj, CNLU, Patna, with further details communicated to the authors.

Theme

Local governance and Panchayati Raj Institutions

Suggestive Sub-Themes

• Assessing the Implementation, Achievements and Structural Gaps of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment.
• Technological Interventions, Democratic Access and Emerging Challenges
• Inclusion, Representation and Empowerment of Marginalised Communities
• Design, Implementation and Accountability of Welfare and Development Schemes
• Transforming Rural Administration through Technological Opportunities, Risks and the Digital Divide
• Evaluating the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments in Strengthening Local Self-Governance
• Assessing the Impact of Women’s Reservations in Local Self-Government Institutions
• Role of State Finance Commissions and Devolution of Funds
• Local Self-Governments in Environmental Protection, Climate Action and Sustainable Development
• Advancing SDGs through Local Institutions and Technological Innovation
• Legal Framework, Implementation Challenges and Protection of Indigenous Rights
• Strengthening Gram Sabha Consent and Community Participation under PESA
• Any other issues related to Panchayati Raj Institutions

Eligibility

• UG Students
• PG Students
• Academicians
• Research Scholars
• Professionals

Timeline

• Release of Brochure & Commencement of Registration: 8th February, 2026
• Last Date of Abstract Submission: 28th February, 2026
• Last Date for the Submission of Full Paper: 25th March, 2026
• Declaration of Selected Papers: 30th March, 2026

Registration Procedure

Click Here To Apply.

Submission Guidelines

• Manuscripts must be original, unpublished, and not under consideration elsewhere.
• Word limit: 6,000-8,000 words (excluding footnotes).
• An abstract of 300-400 words must accompany the submission.
• Co-authorship is permitted for up to two authors.
• Professionals and practitioners should include a brief biographical note.
• Similarity index must be below 10%.
• Use of AI-generated content is strictly prohibited for developing core arguments, empirical analysis, data interpretation, or citations.

Permissible use of Generative AI is limited to:

• Language and grammar refinement
• Idea generation and outlining
• Literature classification and summarization (subject to author verification)
• Translation and multilingual support

All submissions will undergo a peer-review process.

Formatting Requirements

• Font: Times New Roman
• Font size: 12 pt (main text), 10 pt (footnotes)
• Spacing: Double-spaced (main text), single-spaced (footnotes)
• Citation format: Bluebook (21st Edition)
• Use only footnotes (no endnotes)

Awards

• Best Paper- Rs. 7,500/- cash prize, Internship Opportunity, Certificate of Merit
• 2nd Best Paper- Rs. 5,000/- cash prize, Internship Opportunity, Certificate of Merit
• 3rd Best Paper (2 papers)- Rs. 2,500/- cash prize each, Internship Opportunity, Certificate of Merit
• Presentation details will be confirmed and communicated by the Office of the Chair Professor in due course.

Contact Info

For queries, contact: [email protected]

Research Assistants-

• 7355702720- Ananya Giri
• 7739059200- Satyam Bharadwaj
• 8709760219- Harshika Bhushan

The brochure is here.