BCI-NALSAR row: Manan Kumar Mishra faces heat over professional conduct

The Bar Council of India (BCI) recently faced criticism over its decision to bar students from NALSAR University of Law in Hyderabad from being registered as advocates. The controversy arose after BCI, which is responsible for regulating legal profession and legal education, withdrew the decision within hours. The regulator's decision has put the spotlight on BCI's working, which has been headed by senior advocate and BJP MP Manan Kumar Mishra for 14 years.

BCI is mandated to maintain standards of professional conduct for advocates, exercise disciplinary jurisdiction, and recognize universities whose law degrees qualify a person for enrolment. However, Section 7(1)(g) of the Advocates Act, 1961, only gives BCI general supervision and control over state bar councils, not the power to enroll a person as an advocate, which must be done by a state bar council.

The controversy has raised questions about BCI's ability to discharge its statutory duty and maintain the standard of legal profession and legal education. Mishra, an outspoken man, has made several statements indicating that 35-40% of advocates have fake degrees and are practicing on fabricated degree certificates. The regulator's failure to maintain standards in legal education, due to the proliferation of law colleges, is also a cause for concern.

BCI has regularly faced the Supreme Court's ire for not taking action against erring lawyers who resort to strikes.