“Plea bargaining can help in working out a mutually satisfactory agreement between the two parties in a case, ” Nandrajog said.

He pointed out that in western countries, there were three facets to plea bargaining — charge bargaining, fact bargaining and sentence bargaining — of which only one — sentence bargaining — is applicable to the judicial system in India.

Nandrajog said it could be used in criminal cases where the prescribed maximum punishment was below seven years. In cases where the victim has been given the death sentence or a life term, and also in cases where the victim is aged under 14 or where the crime committed is against a woman or child, plea bargaining is not allowed. In 2006, an amendment was made in the CrPC to make a provision for plea bargaining.

Speaking on ‘Clinical Legal Education,’ Justice S B Mhase, Judge, Bombay High Court, told the budding lawyers that it was important to bridge the gap between knowledge gained in classrooms and professional knowledge, which can be gained only through dedicated legal practice.

The function concluded with a prize distribution ceremony to felicitate outstanding students.