Bar Council of India Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra faces growing resignation demands

Demands for the resignation of Bar Council of India (BCI) Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra have intensified, with Vice-Chairman Manoj Kumar N and Co-Chairman Y R Sadasiva Reddy demanding his immediate departure from the post. The two BCI leaders addressed a letter to Mishra, urging him to resign forthwith. Kumar, speaking to The Indian Express, stated that he had demanded the Chairman's resignation at a General Council meeting held physically at the BCI office in Delhi.

Advocate Srinath Tripathi, a Member of BCI from Uttar Pradesh, supported Kumar's demand. Reddy, who was not present at the meeting, also sent a letter to Mishra raising the same demand. Both Kumar and Reddy emphasized that the Bar Council of India must become a truly democratic, independent, and representative body, adhering strictly to the Advocates Act, the rule of law, and constitutional values.

The controversy surrounding Mishra began on August 13 when he issued a directive, ordering state Bar councils not to enroll students of NALSAR’s 2026 batch following a campaign by around 450 NALSAR students opposing Chief Justice Surya Kant's invitation to the university convocation. Mishra later withdrew the circular, claiming the BCI had closed the proceedings after concluding that the students had "no role in any disturbance or movement."

The BCI members argued that the directive was issued without any material being presented to the council, without deliberation, and without any resolution of the BCI authorizing it. Concerns have also been raised regarding the formation of the 'BCI Trust PEARL First,' registered on September 17, 2020, with trustees allegedly chosen by Mishra.

Reddy and Kumar alleged that a resolution was moved to transfer Rs 150 crore of Bar Council of India funds to that trust, and that other council members were kept unaware of the functioning of the new trust.