JU Law School’s Curriculum-Aligned Lecture Series delves into Theories and Jurisprudence of Punishment

Jammu, June 02: To enhance learning outcomes through practical insights from leading legal experts, The Law School, University of Jammu, has initiated an interactive session under its Curriculum-Aligned Lecture Series, guided by Prof. Seema Rohmetra, Director of The Law School.

The session was led by Advocate Rajnish Raina, High Court of J&K and Ladakh, who delved deeply into the jurisprudence of punishment, examining its theoretical foundations, justifications, relevant case laws, and critical perspectives. Advocate Raina traced the evolution of various forms of punishment under the Indian Penal Code (now BNS), emphasizing their alignment with the preventive, deterrent, reformative, and compensatory rationales underlying criminal sanctions. A significant focus was placed on the incorporation of community service as a form of punishment, highlighting its role within the reformative theory by fostering rehabilitation and social reintegration of offenders. Through landmark judgments such as the Jacob George case, D.K. Basu case, Nirbhaya case, Bilkis Bano case, and Kanhaiya Lal murder case, he illustrated the complex interplay of theories underpinning criminal justice.

Advocate Raina argued that a robust criminal justice system cannot rely solely on any single theory of punishment. Instead, an integrative approach is essential—one that carefully synthesizes the strengths of each theory to address the multifaceted nature of justice. He also emphasized the importance of the principle of proportionality—punishment must correspond to both the gravity of the offense and the characteristics of the offender, who may simultaneously require punitive measures and medical or psychological care.

The session concluded with a stimulating Question & Answer segment, where students Megha, Harmannat, Suhani, Parth, Nandita, Saabik, and Tanvi engaged with issues surrounding recent criminal law reforms in the context of the jurisprudence of punishment. The session was moderated by Suhani Sharma and Nandita Rathore and coordinated by Dr. Nitan Sharma, Faculty member of The Law School.