A ban on an entire batch and a U-turn later, Bar Council seeks Nalsar report on anti-CJI campaign

The Bar Council of India (BCI) chairman, Manan Kumar Mishra, announced on Friday that the body would close proceedings against NALSAR University of Law students from the 2026 batch altogether, after confirming they had no role in any disturbance or movement. Mishra also provided advice to the students, urging them to voice their opinions respectfully and with institutional decorum, emphasizing the importance of respecting constitutional institutions.

The BCI had initially barred the 2026 graduating batch from enrolling as advocates following an opposition student campaign against Chief Justice of India Surya Kant’s participation in the university convocation. However, the council later withdrew the blanket restriction, concluding that the vast majority of the graduates were innocent and had not intended to disrespect the chief justice. All students from the batch would be entitled to enroll with the state bar council of their choice.

This revised decision was praised by Gauhar Mirza, a senior partner at Saraf and Partners, who noted that it provided much-needed clarity for law firms that had previously recruited students from the affected batch. The controversy emerged from students’ objections to inviting the Chief Justice to the convocation, which they argued contradicted the university’s commitment to constitutional values and access to justice.

The initial order had invoked sections of the Advocates Act, 1961, focusing on professional conduct and the supervision of State Bar Councils.