Kolkata, July 18 (IANS) Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Saturday said there was a need to increase expenditure in the five-year plan allotments to the study of law and to train legal experts in the country.
“Unfortunately for quite some time, we have not paid enough attention to judicial studies. There is a shortage of resources in this field,” Mukherjee said while addressing a gathering on the centenary celebrations of the Law department of Calcutta University.

The department was established in January 1909 as the University College of Law.

Mukherjee emphasised on the rising need to focus on nurturing more expertise in the legal field, so that there is greater professionalism in interpretation of law at both national and international levels.

“More professionals with expertise are needed in this field,” he said, referring to the needs of legal experts in the era of globalisation.

Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan and Calcutta High Court Chief Justice S.S. Nijjar were also present at the celebration.

State Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta, who was also present, said the state government would set up a judicial academy at Rajarhat in the northeastern fringes of the city to establish a symbiotic relation between the Calcutta High Court practitioners and legal students.

However, he did not mention any time frame for the start of the academy, for which the government plans to spend Rs.60-70 million.