2 weeks ago
Bar Council chairman apologises to law students amid NALSAR row
In India, there is a school called NALSAR where people learn to become lawyers.
The school wanted the Chief Justice, a very important judge, to come to its graduation ceremony.
Some students did not want him to come because of something he said in court about protests in Delhi.
A group that oversees lawyers, called the Bar Council of India, got upset with the students for opposing the Chief Justice.
It told other lawyer groups not to let NALSAR students become lawyers right away.
That made many people unhappy, including the Chief Justice himself, who said the action was not needed at all.
The leader of the Bar Council, Mr. Manan Kumar Mishra, later said sorry to the students in a letter.
He said students can think for themselves and that peaceful protest is an important part of democracy.
The Bar Council also took back its order and closed the matter.
Still, the school kept the Chief Justice's invitation for the ceremony, and the students kept asking the school to change its mind.
Bar Council of India Chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra apologised to law students in a three-page letter on Saturday.
The council had ordered state bar councils to defer the enrolment of NALSAR graduates as advocates, but withdrew the directive on Thursday.
Chief Justice Surya Kant called the Bar Council's move "absolutely uncalled for" and said the matter was a dialogue between students and him.
The row began when some students opposed NALSAR's decision to invite the CJI to their convocation, citing his remarks on a petition about alleged police action against protesters in Delhi on July 20.
The Cockroach Janta Party described the directive as "grossly disproportionate" and warned of protests if it was not withdrawn.
- Who
- Bar Council of India Chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra, Chief Justice Surya Kant, and students of the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR).
- What
- The Bar Council of India apologised to law students and withdrew a directive that would have deferred the enrolment of NALSAR graduates, after a row over students' opposition to the Chief Justice's convocation invitation.
- Where
- India, in the context of NALSAR and a July 20 protest in Delhi.
- When
- The apology was issued on Saturday, days after the directive was withdrawn on Thursday and criticised by the Chief Justice on Friday.
- Why
- Because the council's directive against students who opposed the CJI's convocation invitation drew backlash and was criticised as "absolutely uncalled for" by the Chief Justice.
Students and critics
Bar Council and institute
Chief Justice's convocation invitation
Students and critics
Students opposed the invitation, citing Chief Justice Surya Kant's response to a petition alleging excessive police force against protesters in Delhi on July 20, and urged NALSAR to reconsider.
Bar Council and institute
NALSAR kept the invitation to the Chief Justice, and the Bar Council objected to the students' campaign against his participation, describing it as an 'organised campaign'.
Bar Council's enrolment directive
Students and critics
Critics, including the Cockroach Janta Party, called the directive 'grossly disproportionate' and a curb on peaceful disagreement, threatening protests unless it was withdrawn.
Bar Council and institute
The Bar Council treated the campaign as deserving an inquiry into those 'principally instrumental' in opposing the CJI, before withdrawing the directive and closing the proceedings.
Key facts
- Apologising official
- Manan Kumar Mishra, Bar Council of India Chairperson and Bharatiya Janata Party MP
- Institution at centre of row
- National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR)
- Contested figure
- Chief Justice Surya Kant
- Directive
- Deferral of NALSAR graduates' enrolment as advocates; withdrawn on Thursday
- Apology format
- Three-page letter issued on Saturday
- Students' objection
- CJI's response to a petition alleging excessive police force against protesters in Delhi on July 20
- Inquiry sought
- Factual report from NALSAR within three days identifying those behind the 'organised campaign'
- Critic group
- Cockroach Janta Party, which called the directive 'grossly disproportionate'
Quotes
Chief Justice Surya Kant
Chief Justice of India
“"if anything connected with the present controversy, any of my words, or letter, has hurt the feelings of our law students, I sincerely regret and apologise for the same"”
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“"It’s a dialogue between students and me. Who are they to raise an issue?"”
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Sources
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