Student bodies condemn Bar Council of India over withdrawn enrolment order

The Student Bar Council of NALSAR University of Law and students from the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) have condemned the Bar Council of India (BCI) following a directive that would have prevented NALSAR's 2026 graduates from enrolling as advocates. The BCI issued the order on Thursday but withdrew it within hours after widespread criticism. The original directive was issued in response to a campaign by students who opposed the invitation of Chief Justice Surya Kant to the NALSAR convocation. The students' objection stemmed from Justice Kant's reported response to a petition regarding police force against protesters in Delhi on July 20.

NALSAR students sought an apology from BCI Chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra, alleging that his remarks regarding students and faculty were objectionable. The BCI had suggested that a handful of teachers and outsiders instigated innocent students. The student body argued that the BCI's actions were outside its statutory functions and that the request for an inquiry report into the identities of those involved was an intrusive violation of privacy. NLSIU students also expressed solidarity, describing the BCI's move as a witch hunt that could have a chilling effect on free speech.

While the center right source focuses on the specific demands for an apology and the perceived unprofessionalism of the BCI chairperson, the left leaning source frames the event as a broader infringement on constitutional rights and a signal that dissent leads to professional consequences. The left leaning source also reports on a separate Supreme Court petition seeking structural reforms and term limits for the BCI chairman, noting that Manan Kumar Mishra has held the position since November 2014.