CJI pulls up BCI for NALSAR enrolment ban, calls it uncalled for

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Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Friday strongly disapproved of the Bar Council of India's now-revoked decision to block enrolment of NALSAR University of Law's 2026 graduates as advocates after students protested his invitation as convocation chief guest. The Supreme Court said students have a right to protest peacefully and stayed any coercive action against NALSAR students or faculty by the BCI or state Bar Councils. "If students are protesting peacefully, who is BCI to take action? It is a dialogue between students and me. No one else has to step in," the CJI said.

The controversy began after six representations from NALSAR students objected to the invitation, citing the CJI's reported remarks during a hearing on police excesses against protesters during the July 20 march to Parliament. On Thursday, BCI chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra directed state Bar Councils not to enrol NALSAR's 2026 law graduates until further orders, but later retracted. Livemint reports senior lawyers have called for a probe into how the decision originated, and questioned BCI's accountability and Mishra's repeated election as chairman.