Within hours the Bar Council of India retracted its order issued to all State Bar Councils not to enrol students who graduated from NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, in 2026.
The BCI, in its initial communication, had directed the State Bar Councils to stop enrolment of 2026 graduates of NALSAR following an inquiry into a recent campaign by students opposing the proposed participation of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant in the university's convocation.
However, within hours BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra, who is also a BJP Rajya Sabha MP, withdrew the order, saying that all graduates would be free to enrol with the State Bar Council of their choice. In the latest communication, the BCI said its members had unanimously concluded that the “vast majority” of the 2026 graduates were innocent and had not been inclined to participate in what the Council described as a “move of disrespect”.
The BCI, however, said it would await the inquiry report from the NALSAR Vice-Chancellor before deciding on further action. “No student shall be made to suffer without any fault on his part,” it said in the revised statement.
What is the dispute?
The altercation followed a representation by NALSAR students opposing inviting Justice Kant as the chief guest at their convocation, citing his remarks during proceedings concerning alleged police excesses against Jantar Mantar protests in Delhi.
Learning about the protest, the BCI had sought an authenticated report from the NALSAR Vice-Chancellor on the campaign and asked the university to identify those who were principally instrumental in initiating, organising, coordinating or mobilising the campaign.
Later, the BCI said it had received information from “some reliable sources” that a “handful of teachers and outsiders” had been instrumental in “instigating the innocent students”.
The Council said it would take further action after receiving and examining the Vice-Chancellor's inquiry report.
Vivek Shukla is a management graduate who has worked in corporate worked for 20 years and is now pursuing his passion — news.
