Now Reading: BCI chief apologises to law students after NALSAR row, Supreme Court rap
-
01
BCI chief apologises to law students after NALSAR row, Supreme Court rap
BCI chief apologises to law students after NALSAR row, Supreme Court rap
Bar Council of India (BCI) chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra has apologised to law students after a controversy over his handling of a student campaign at NALSAR University of Law. In an Independence…
The Story in Brief
Bar Council of India (BCI) chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra has apologised to law students after a controversy over his handling of a student campaign at NALSAR University of Law. In an Independence Day letter, Mishra said if any of his words hurt students, he sincerely regrets and apologises. The apology came days after the BCI ordered state bar councils to freeze enrolment of NALSAR’s entire 2026 graduating batch, then withdrew it following widespread criticism and a rebuke from the Supreme Court, which called the move 'absolutely unnecessary'.
The row began after over 450 NALSAR students signed a representation raising concerns about judicial handling of alleged police excesses during a July 20 Parliament march. The BCI had also sought a report identifying those behind the campaign. The Student Bar Council condemned the BCI’s language as 'objectionable' and demanded an apology. The Supreme Court directed that no punitive action be taken against NALSAR students or faculty at the BCI’s instance.
The Indian Opinion
Mishra’s apology is welcome but the damage is done. The BCI’s initial order, freezing enrolment of an entire batch for a student petition, showed a disturbing disregard for due process and the right to dissent. The claim that only a handful of teachers and outsiders instigated students is a lazy narrative that denies young lawyers agency. A constitutional body cannot treat every peaceful protest as a conspiracy. The real test now is whether the BCI will actually reform its procedures, or whether this will be forgotten by the next controversy.
Sources (3): indiatvnews.com, indiatoday.in, timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 3 sources linked above.
