The Supreme Court on Thursday rapped the Bar Council of India (BCI), saying that the lawyers’ regulatory body has no statutory power or business to discipline law students, nor can it dictate law universities on how they should deal with the conduct of students. The ruling came on a petition filed by Mihira Sood challenging the BCI’s intervention following protests by NALSAR students over the invite to the CJI as chief guest at their convocation.&nbsp;The Supreme Court held that the Bar Council of India (BCI) and State Bar Councils have no power to take disciplinary action against law students before they are enrolled as lawyers and stated that such matters fall exclusively within the domain of their educational institutions.&nbsp;“We are of the opinion that the Advocates Act, 1961, where under BCI has been statutorily created, does not confer any express or implied power upon the BCI or any State Bar Council to take any disciplinary action against the students of law; such a power is preceded by registration of a law graduate as an advocate under the said Act,” said a three-judge bench presided by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/india-ready-to-help-end-russia-ukraine-war-says-eam-jaishankar-during-kyiv-visit-1788437687980">India ready to help end Russia-Ukraine war, says EAM Jaishankar during Kyiv visit</a>&nbsp;“So far as students are concerned, it is their parent institution or the authority prescribed under the regulations/bye laws of such institution who alone are competent to take disciplinary action,” said the bench, also comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana.&nbsp;The bench made the observation while declaring that all communications issued by the BCI on August 13 after some NALSAR University of Law students opposed the invitation of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant to the university’s annual convocation, stating they were “without any authority of law”.NALSAR students had cited remarks made by the CJI during proceedings on a plea concerning alleged police excesses during Cockroach Janta Party-led student protests in Delhi.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-signals-openness-to-ukraine-deal-thanks-us-and-china-for-peace-efforts-1788433350060">Putin signals openness to Ukraine deal, thanks US and China for peace efforts</a>&nbsp;BCI chairman Manan Kumar Mishra had issued the directive on August 13, asking state Bar councils not to enroll students of NALSAR’s 2026 batch who took the stand against the CJI attending the event. The directive was withdrawn within hours, with the BCI stating that it had closed the proceedings after concluding that the students had “no role in any disturbance or movement”.&nbsp;Senior Advocate K Parameshwar, who appeared for the former NALSAR students on Thursday, said the matter involved a question of freedom of speech and expression in a university. “It is not about just one student. It is about banning freedom of speech and expression across an entire university,” he said.“We want to know under what circumstances those orders were passed and whether meetings were held. After all, it’s a statutory authority responsible for legal education and for regulating the legal profession,” Parameshwar said.&nbsp;“We would like to know under what provision of law this was done. After all, they must be held accountable in some fashion,” the senior counsel said.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-and-nato-step-up-pressure-on-russia-after-germany-escalation-incidents-1788381258249">EU and NATO step up pressure on Russia after Germany ‘escalation incidents’</a><h2>One cannot expect everyone to act responsibly: CJI Surya Kant</h2>&nbsp;CJI Kant said one cannot expect everyone to act responsibly. “We have no doubt about it that the very fact that it was withdrawn means that there must be some realisation that a mistake, if not a blunder, was committed that has been rectified.”“As far as the conduct of the law students is concerned, BCI has no jurisdiction. That’s an exclusive domain of the educational institution. There cannot be any dispute on that,” the CJI said.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-suggests-renaming-strait-of-hormuz-to-trump-strait-1788377239194">Trump suggests renaming Strait of Hormuz to ‘Trump Strait’</a><h2>‘Matter should be given a quietus,’ says Mishra</h2>&nbsp;BCI’s Mishra said, “everything has been closed," and asked, “should everything…be adjudicated?” He submitted that the “matter should be given a quietus.”&nbsp;Justice Bagchi then said that the legal position needs to be clarified lest a similar situation arise in the future.“Let us say a student indulges in an act of moral turpitude and is disqualified as per the Advocates Act, 1961, to enrol. But the university permits him to pursue his education. You can definitely, at the time of enrolment, examine the conditions precedent for enrolment, but to put an injunction that I will not enrol you…it is getting beyond.”&nbsp;“That is why it was never implemented and was withdrawn the same night,” Mishra said.Justice Bagchi said the question is “whether BCI can exercise control over student behaviour before the student actually attains the qualification to become an advocate”.&nbsp;“You can always stop him when he makes an application. That’s a different thing,” Justice Bagchi said.&nbsp;

The Supreme Court held that the Bar Council of India (BCI) and State Bar Councils have no power to take disciplinary action against law students before they are enrolled as lawyers and stated that such matters fall exclusively within the domain of their educational institutions.

The Supreme Court on Thursday rapped the Bar Council of India (BCI), saying that the lawyers’ regulatory body has no statutory power or business to discipline law students, nor can it dictate law universities on how they should deal with the conduct of students. The ruling came on a petition filed by Mihira Sood challenging the BCI’s intervention following protests by NALSAR students over the invite to the CJI as chief guest at their convocation. The Supreme Court held that the Bar Council of India (BCI) and State Bar Councils have no power to take disciplinary action against law students before they are enrolled as lawyers and stated that such matters fall exclusively within the domain of their educational institutions. “We are of the opinion that the Advocates Act, 1961, where under BCI has been statutorily created, does not confer any express or implied power upon the BCI or any State Bar Council to take any disciplinary action against the students of law; such a power is preceded by registration of a law graduate as an advocate under the said Act,” said a three-judge bench presided by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant. Also Read: India ready to help end Russia-Ukraine war, says EAM Jaishankar during Kyiv visit “So far as students are concerned, it is their parent institution or the authority prescribed under the regulations/bye laws of such institution who alone are competent to take disciplinary action,” said the bench, also comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana. The bench made the observation while declaring that all communications issued by the BCI on August 13 after some NALSAR University of Law students opposed the invitation of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant to the university’s annual convocation, stating they were “without any authority of law”. NALSAR students had cited remarks made by the CJI during proceedings on a plea concerning alleged police excesses during Cockroach Janta Party-led student protests in Delhi. Also Read: Putin signals openness to Ukraine deal, thanks US and China for peace efforts BCI chairman Manan Kumar Mishra had issued the directive on August 13, asking state Bar councils not to enroll students of NALSAR’s 2026 batch who took the stand against the CJI attending the event. The directive was withdrawn within hours, with the BCI stating that it had closed the proceedings after concluding that the students had “no role in any disturbance or movement”. Senior Advocate K Parameshwar, who appeared for the former NALSAR students on Thursday, said the matter involved a question of freedom of speech and expression in a university. “It is not about just one student. It is about banning freedom of speech and expression across an entire university,” he said. “We want to know under what circumstances those orders were passed and whether meetings were held. After all, it’s a statutory authority responsible for legal education and for regulating the legal profession,” Parameshwar said. “We would like to know under what provision of law this was done. After all, they must be held accountable in some fashion,” the senior counsel said. Also Read: EU and NATO step up pressure on Russia after Germany ‘escalation incidents’ One cannot expect everyone to act responsibly: CJI Surya Kant CJI Kant said one cannot expect everyone to act responsibly. “We have no doubt about it that the very fact that it was withdrawn means that there must be some realisation that a mistake, if not a blunder, was committed that has been rectified.” “As far as the conduct of the law students is concerned, BCI has no jurisdiction. That’s an exclusive domain of the educational institution. There cannot be any dispute on that,” the CJI said. Also Read: Trump suggests renaming Strait of Hormuz to ‘Trump Strait’ ‘Matter should be given a quietus,’ says Mishra BCI’s Mishra said, “everything has been closed," and asked, “should everything…be adjudicated?” He submitted that the “matter should be given a quietus.” Justice Bagchi then said that the legal position needs to be clarified lest a similar situation arise in the future. “Let us say a student indulges in an act of moral turpitude and is disqualified as per the Advocates Act, 1961, to enrol. But the university permits him to pursue his education. You can definitely, at the time of enrolment, examine the conditions precedent for enrolment, but to put an injunction that I will not enrol you…it is getting beyond.” “That is why it was never implemented and was withdrawn the same night,” Mishra said. Justice Bagchi said the question is “whether BCI can exercise control over student behaviour before the student actually attains the qualification to become an advocate”. “You can always stop him when he makes an application. That’s a different thing,” Justice Bagchi said.

The Supreme Court held that the Bar Council of India (BCI) and State Bar Councils have no power to take disciplinary action against law students before they are enrolled as lawyers and stated that such matters fall exclusively within the domain of their educational institutions.

Bar Council has no power to discipline law students before enrollment: Supreme Court

One of the premier law institutes in the country, the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru, has cancelled its 34th Annual Convocation scheduled for September 12 after a row over invitations to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Bar Council of India Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra. The NLSIU has cancelled its 34th Annual Convocation citing “unavoidable circumstances”.&nbsp;The university informed graduating students about the decision through an official notice issued on Thursday, August 27. The university said that despite its “collective best efforts”, it would not be able to hold the annual convocation as planned.&nbsp;&nbsp;The institute had earlier communicated the proposed date of Sept 12 to graduating students on August 3.&nbsp;<h2>Graduating students to be conferred degrees in absentia</h2>&nbsp;The university said all graduating students would be conferred their degrees in absentia, subject to approval from its governing bodies.“All graduating students will be conferred their degrees in absentia after due approvals by the Governing Bodies. Students may elect to receive their certificates by courier or collect them at campus. The university will share a new form and the process with all graduating students to choose their preferred option later today.”&nbsp;The students had objected to Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Bar Council of India (BCI) Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra attending their convocation. They also demanded an unconditional apology from BCI to the students and faculty members of the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR) University of Law, Hyderabad.&nbsp;<h2>BCI recalled order freezing enrolment of entire 2026 NALSAR batch&nbsp;</h2>&nbsp;A campaign opposing the invite to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant as chief guest in the university’s convocation by NALSAR graduating students had led to an uproar. The Bar Council of India chairman had then issued an order freezing the enrolment of the entire 2026 graduating batch of NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad. It had directed all state bar councils not to enroll any student from the batch pending an inquiry into a campaign opposing CJI Surya Kant’s participation in the convocation.&nbsp;The BCI, however, withdrew the orders within hours, and its Chairman, Manan Kumar Mishra, said that the Council had “thoroughly discussed and deliberated” on his earlier letter and modified the direction imposing the enrolment ban.&nbsp;He said the Council was of a unanimous view that the vast majority of NALSAR’s 2026 graduating students had not intended to participate in any move to show disrespect.&nbsp;“Accordingly, the Council modifies the order of chairman with regard to the ban on the enrolment of the NALSAR students with the State Bar Councils. All the students will be entitled to get enrolled with the state bar councils of their choice,” the amended order said.&nbsp;Cockroach Janta Party co-convenor Saurav Das reacted to the convocation cancellation, saying he hoped the graduating batch would organise its own ceremony and invite a special guest to felicitate the students.&nbsp;“I hope the NLSIU graduating batch organises its own graduation ceremony and invites the most honourable guest to felicitate them. Do it the Gen-Z way!” he said.

The National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru, said its 34th Annual Convocation scheduled for September 12 stands cancelled and all graduating students would be conferred their degrees in absentia, subject to approval from its governing bodies.

One of the premier law institutes in the country, the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru, has cancelled its 34th Annual Convocation scheduled for September 12 after a row over invitations to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Bar Council of India Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra. The NLSIU has cancelled its 34th Annual Convocation citing “unavoidable circumstances”. The university informed graduating students about the decision through an official notice issued on Thursday, August 27. The university said that despite its “collective best efforts”, it would not be able to hold the annual convocation as planned. The institute had earlier communicated the proposed date of Sept 12 to graduating students on August 3. Graduating students to be conferred degrees in absentia The university said all graduating students would be conferred their degrees in absentia, subject to approval from its governing bodies. “All graduating students will be conferred their degrees in absentia after due approvals by the Governing Bodies. Students may elect to receive their certificates by courier or collect them at campus. The university will share a new form and the process with all graduating students to choose their preferred option later today.” The students had objected to Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Bar Council of India (BCI) Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra attending their convocation. They also demanded an unconditional apology from BCI to the students and faculty members of the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR) University of Law, Hyderabad. BCI recalled order freezing enrolment of entire 2026 NALSAR batch A campaign opposing the invite to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant as chief guest in the university’s convocation by NALSAR graduating students had led to an uproar. The Bar Council of India chairman had then issued an order freezing the enrolment of the entire 2026 graduating batch of NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad. It had directed all state bar councils not to enroll any student from the batch pending an inquiry into a campaign opposing CJI Surya Kant’s participation in the convocation. The BCI, however, withdrew the orders within hours, and its Chairman, Manan Kumar Mishra, said that the Council had “thoroughly discussed and deliberated” on his earlier letter and modified the direction imposing the enrolment ban. He said the Council was of a unanimous view that the vast majority of NALSAR’s 2026 graduating students had not intended to participate in any move to show disrespect. “Accordingly, the Council modifies the order of chairman with regard to the ban on the enrolment of the NALSAR students with the State Bar Councils. All the students will be entitled to get enrolled with the state bar councils of their choice,” the amended order said. Cockroach Janta Party co-convenor Saurav Das reacted to the convocation cancellation, saying he hoped the graduating batch would organise its own ceremony and invite a special guest to felicitate the students. “I hope the NLSIU graduating batch organises its own graduation ceremony and invites the most honourable guest to felicitate them. Do it the Gen-Z way!” he said.

The National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru, said its 34th Annual Convocation scheduled for September 12 stands cancelled and all graduating students would be conferred their degrees in absentia, subject to approval from its governing bodies.

Top law institute NLSIU cancels convocation after row over invite to CJI Surya Kant

Senior advocate and Rajya Sabha member Manan Kumar Mishra has been encircled in a growing controversy after the Bar Council of India (BCI) decided to halt the enrolment of NALSAR University’s 2026 graduating batch, which has triggered a legal and political storm. He has led the Bar Council of India (BCI) for over a decade. After triggering sharp criticism from legal circles as well as drawing strong observations from the Supreme Court, the episode has reignited scrutiny of Mishra's extended tenure at the head of the country's apex body. Amid the controversy, a petition has been filed in the Supreme Court calling for structural reforms within the BCI, including the introduction of fixed tenures and term limits for its chairman and other office-bearers. This comes even as the BCI faced backlash for initially instructing state bar councils not to enrol NALSAR's 2026 graduates as advocates, following a student campaign opposing the university's proposed invitation to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant as chief guest at its convocation. The order was withdrawn within hours amid widespread criticism.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/we-have-strong-ties-with-italy-mea-reacts-to-congress-party-s-meloni-remarks-1786713206406">'We have strong ties with Italy': MEA reacts to Congress party's Meloni remarks</a><h3>Who is Manan Kumar Mishra?</h3>Mishra is a senior advocate and BJP-nominated Rajya Sabha member from Bihar who has acted as chairman of the BCI since November 2014 and was re-elected to the post for a record seventh consecutive term in 2025, as the BCI chairperson is elected for a two-year term. Mishra hails from Gopalganj district in Bihar and has completed his BSc (Honours) from Rajendra College, Chapra. He later pursued his LLB from Patna Law College. After his law degree, he started his legal practice at the Gopalganj Civil Court and then moved to the Patna High Court in 1982. He went on to become a senior advocate in the Supreme Court. Mishra has also pursued a political career alongside his legal work. He ran in the 2010 Bihar Assembly election on a Congress ticket before later switching to the BJP. In 2024, the BJP put him forward for a Rajya Sabha seat from Bihar, where he won unopposed. &nbsp;

Amid the controversy, a petition has been filed in the Supreme Court calling for structural reforms within the BCI, including the introduction of fixed tenures and term limits for its chairman and other office-bearers.

Senior advocate and Rajya Sabha member Manan Kumar Mishra has been encircled in a growing controversy after the Bar Council of India (BCI) decided to halt the enrolment of NALSAR University’s 2026 graduating batch, which has triggered a legal and political storm. He has led the Bar Council of India (BCI) for over a decade. After triggering sharp criticism from legal circles as well as drawing strong observations from the Supreme Court, the episode has reignited scrutiny of Mishra's extended tenure at the head of the country's apex body. Amid the controversy, a petition has been filed in the Supreme Court calling for structural reforms within the BCI, including the introduction of fixed tenures and term limits for its chairman and other office-bearers. This comes even as the BCI faced backlash for initially instructing state bar councils not to enrol NALSAR's 2026 graduates as advocates, following a student campaign opposing the university's proposed invitation to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant as chief guest at its convocation. The order was withdrawn within hours amid widespread criticism. Also read: 'We have strong ties with Italy': MEA reacts to Congress party's Meloni remarks Who is Manan Kumar Mishra? Mishra is a senior advocate and BJP-nominated Rajya Sabha member from Bihar who has acted as chairman of the BCI since November 2014 and was re-elected to the post for a record seventh consecutive term in 2025, as the BCI chairperson is elected for a two-year term. Mishra hails from Gopalganj district in Bihar and has completed his BSc (Honours) from Rajendra College, Chapra. He later pursued his LLB from Patna Law College. After his law degree, he started his legal practice at the Gopalganj Civil Court and then moved to the Patna High Court in 1982. He went on to become a senior advocate in the Supreme Court. Mishra has also pursued a political career alongside his legal work. He ran in the 2010 Bihar Assembly election on a Congress ticket before later switching to the BJP. In 2024, the BJP put him forward for a Rajya Sabha seat from Bihar, where he won unopposed.

Amid the controversy, a petition has been filed in the Supreme Court calling for structural reforms within the BCI, including the introduction of fixed tenures and term limits for its chairman and other office-bearers.

Who is Manan Kumar Mishra? Senior advocate in spotlight amid BCI–NALSAR University row

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Bar Council has no power to discipline law students before enrollment: Supreme Court

Top law institute NLSIU cancels convocation after row over invite to CJI

Who is Manan Kumar? Senior advocate in spotlight amid BCI–NALSAR University row