2 weeks ago
CJI rebukes Bar Council of India chief over NALSAR ban
Some law students in India were upset because the Chief Justice of India, a very important judge, was invited to their graduation ceremony.
Earlier, while hearing a case about police and protesters, he said the court was not interested in watching video evidence, and about 450 students asked the university to pick a different guest.
The leader of the lawyers' group in India, Mr. Manan Kumar Mishra, did not like this and said none of the graduating students could become lawyers for a while.
A funny protest group called the Cockroach Janta Party said this punishment was too harsh and asked Mr. Mishra to quit his job.
The Chief Justice himself said students have the right to protest and that the lawyers' group should not interfere.
Many people complained, so Mr. Mishra changed his mind and let the students become lawyers again.
He said he wants to protect the rights of students and that the lawyers' group shares the same interests.
The lawyers' group is still checking whether someone organized the students' protest on purpose.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant asked what business the Bar Council of India (BCI) had in the NALSAR dispute, saying students have a right to protest and that the BCI 'does not have any business in this.'
Around 450 NALSAR University of Law students urged the administration to reconsider inviting CJI Surya Kant as convocation chief guest over his July remarks on video evidence.
The BCI, in a directive attributed solely to Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra, temporarily halted enrolment of NALSAR's entire 2026 graduating batch on Thursday.
The ban was revoked hours later; the Cockroach Janta Party, which called the order 'grossly disproportionate' and demanded Mishra's resignation, warned of a nationwide protest.
The BCI is investigating an alleged organized campaign at NALSAR against the CJI's convocation participation and has asked the university to identify those involved.
- Who
- Bar Council of India (BCI) Chairman and Rajya Sabha MP Manan Kumar Mishra, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, around 450 NALSAR University of Law students, and Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke and spokesperson Saurav Das.
- What
- The BCI temporarily halted enrolment of NALSAR's 2026 graduating batch after students objected to CJI Surya Kant as convocation chief guest, then revoked the order hours later after the CJI rebuked the council and the CJP called for Mishra's resignation.
- Where
- India, centred on NALSAR University of Law in Hyderabad, with an earlier protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar.
- When
- The BCI's enrolment order was issued on a Thursday and revoked on Friday; it followed the CJI's July remarks and the CJP's Jantar Mantar protest nearly a month earlier.
- Why
- Students objected to the CJI's invitation due to his July remarks on video evidence in a police-excess case, and critics including the CJI saw the BCI's blanket enrolment ban as disproportionate interference.
NALSAR students and Cockroach Janta Party
Bar Council of India and university administration
CJI as convocation chief guest
NALSAR students and Cockroach Janta Party
Around 450 students urged the administration to reconsider inviting Chief Justice Surya Kant, citing his July remarks in which the court said it was 'not interested' in viewing video evidence of alleged police excesses against protesters.
Bar Council of India and university administration
The university invited the Chief Justice as convocation chief guest, and the Bar Council treated opposition to his participation as grounds to investigate an alleged organized campaign.
Enrolment ban on 2026 graduates
NALSAR students and Cockroach Janta Party
The CJP called the blanket bar on enrolling NALSAR's entire 2026 batch 'grossly disproportionate, deeply troubling, and prima facie indefensible,' warned of a nationwide protest by law students and lawyers, and demanded Mishra's resignation.
Bar Council of India and university administration
The BCI defended its action as protecting the interests of students and the profession, and revoked the order after determining the majority of students were innocent of any alleged misconduct.
BCI's role in the dispute
NALSAR students and Cockroach Janta Party
CJI Surya Kant said students have a right to protest, called the matter 'a dialogue between students and me,' asked 'Who are they (the BCI) to interfere?' and the Supreme Court issued a notice to the BCI.
Bar Council of India and university administration
The BCI said its interests and those of the students are the same and that it aims to protect the interests of the youth of India, while continuing to investigate an alleged organized campaign against the CJI's participation.
Key facts
- BCI Chairman
- Manan Kumar Mishra, senior advocate and BJP-nominated Rajya Sabha MP from Bihar
- University
- NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad
- Convocation Chief Guest
- Chief Justice of India Surya Kant
- Students opposing invitation
- Around 450
- Initial BCI action
- Temporary halt on enrolment of NALSAR's 2026 graduating batch
- Final outcome
- Ban revoked hours later; 2026 graduates allowed to enrol as advocates
- CJI's response
- Students have a right to protest; BCI 'does not have any business in this'
- BCI investigation
- Alleged organized campaign against the CJI's convocation participation
Quotes
Chief Justice Surya Kant
Chief Justice of India
“The Bar Council of India aims to protect the interests of the youth of India. I want to communicate to Abhijeet Dipke and Das (Sourav Das) that our interests are the same as theirs, to protect the rights of the students.”
livemint.com
“Earlier, the tenure of chairman and vice‑chairman of the BCI was for two years. But Mishra brought in amendments extending the tenure from two to three, and then five years.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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