By Asia Samachar | Malaysia |
A unique professional gathering of lawyers and judges, dubbed the Sikh Legal Year 2026, was held on Feb 1, marking the first-ever get-together to commemorate the opening of the Sikh Litigation Year.
The programme included a Sikh prayer session at Gurdwara Sahib Petaling Jaya, bringing together members of the Bench and the Bar in a reflective start to the legal year.
The initiative traces its origins to the late Harpal Singh Grewal, founder of the law firm A.J. Ariffin, Yeo & Harpal, who had envisioned a dedicated platform for Sikhs in litigation practice to engage on professional issues and support one another meaningfully.
In his opening address, Avinder Singh Gill, who was appointed a judicial commissioner of the High Court last year, said Harpal believed Sikh lawyers — bound by shared values of faith, discipline, courage and sewa (service) — needed more than a networking forum.
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He said the aim was to create a principled space where lawyers could uplift one another through the generous sharing of knowledge and ethical practice.
“Driven by Sikh fundamentals, this community enables us to pose difficult legal questions, share our professional experiences, exchange case digests, articles and ideas, and sharpen one another intellectually and legally,” he said.
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Avinder said he had stepped down as a group administrator, with responsibilities now handled by Amritpal Singh, Harvinderjit Singh and Ivanpal Singh Grewal.
The gathering was attended by members of the Malaysian judiciary, including High Court judges Bhupinder Singh, Amarjeet Singh and Anand Ponnudurai, as well as recently retired Federal Court judge Harmindar Singh Dhaliwal.
Looking ahead, Ivanpal Singh Grewal said there was a shared aspiration to make the opening of the Sikh Legal Year an annual event. Any surplus funds from the Jodhmela, he added, are proposed to be channelled towards assisting needy Sikh law students and supporting future programmes, in keeping with the group’s founding values.
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