2 weeks ago
NALSAR to Weigh Constitutionality of BCI Inquiry Over Student Row
Law students at a university in Hyderabad, India, wrote letters saying they did not want the Chief Justice of India to be the special guest at their graduation ceremony.
About 450 students joined this campaign.
The Bar Council of India, the group that gives people permission to become lawyers, got upset about it.
It sent a letter saying none of the graduating students from that university could become lawyers.
Later the same day, the Bar Council took that order back.
But it still asked the university to investigate the students who organised the campaign.
The university's leader said they must check with their governing council whether that investigation is allowed by the rules.
The head of another lawyers' group said the Bar Council's action was unfair and scared students who were just using their right to speak freely.
The university is now deciding what to do and will tell the Bar Council its answer.
NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad will place before its Executive Council the Bar Council of India's (BCI) directive seeking an inquiry into students opposed to the CJI as convocation chief guest.
The university will consider whether conducting the inquiry is a constitutional exercise of its powers and permissible under its governance regulations.
The BCI initially disallowed the enrolment of all graduating B.A., LL.B (Hons) 2026 batch students before rescinding the directive on the same day, August 13, 2026.
The BCI's second communication retained the requirement for the Vice-Chancellor to submit an inquiry report on those who initiated, organised or mobilised the student campaign.
SCBA President Vikas Singh condemned the now-withdrawn BCI direction as arbitrary, illegal and disproportionate, accusing it of intimidating law students exercising freedom of speech.
Approximately 450 NALSAR students joined the campaign opposing the invitation of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant as chief guest for the 2026 convocation.
- Who
- NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, its Vice-Chancellor Professor Srikrishna Deva Rao, the Bar Council of India, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, and SCBA President Vikas Singh.
- What
- NALSAR decided to examine whether a BCI-requested inquiry into students who opposed the CJI's convocation invitation is constitutional, after the BCI briefly disallowed enrolment of 2026 graduates.
- Where
- Hyderabad, India, at NALSAR University of Law.
- When
- The BCI letters were dated August 13, 2026, and NALSAR's announcements were issued on August 13 and 14, 2026.
- Why
- Students campaigned against Chief Justice Surya Kant being the chief guest at the 2026 convocation, prompting the BCI to seek an inquiry report and temporarily bar enrolment of graduating students.
Student Rights Advocates (SCBA and Students)
Bar Council of India
Enrolment ban on graduates
Student Rights Advocates (SCBA and Students)
SCBA President Vikas Singh called the direction to disallow enrolment of all 2026 graduates arbitrary, illegal and disproportionate, and fundamentally unsustainable.
Bar Council of India
The BCI issued the blanket direction barring State Bar Councils from enrolling NALSAR 2026 graduates pending an inquiry into those who initiated or mobilised the campaign.
Freedom of speech and expression
Student Rights Advocates (SCBA and Students)
Singh said the action amounted to an attempt to intimidate law students for exercising their fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression.
Bar Council of India
The BCI sought a factual report from the Vice-Chancellor on those who initiated, organised or mobilised the campaign against the CJI's invitation.
Constitutional and institutional authority
Student Rights Advocates (SCBA and Students)
NALSAR said it must consider whether conducting the inquiry would be a constitutional exercise of its powers and permissible under its governance regulations.
Bar Council of India
The BCI asked the University for an inquiry report and communicated its understanding of NALSAR's governance regulations to the institution.
Key facts
- University
- NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad
- Regulator
- Bar Council of India (BCI)
- BCI letter date
- August 13, 2026
- Students involved
- Approximately 450
- Affected batch
- B.A., LL.B (Hons) 2026 batch
- Students' request to university
- July 23
- Decision-making body
- Executive Council, the highest body under the University's statute
- Disputed role
- Chief Justice of India Surya Kant as 2026 convocation chief guest
Quotes
Srikrishna Deva Rao
Vice‑Chancellor of NALSAR University of Law
“"This unprecedented and wholly arbitrary direction is, in my view, illegal, disproportionate and fundamentally unsustainable. It amounts to an attempt to intimidate law students for exercising their fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression."”
deccanchronicle.com
“Given the nature of the request, the university will have to consider whether conducting such an inquiry will be a constitutional exercise of its powers.”
thehansindia.com
Sources
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