# CJI slams BCI for threatening NALSAR students 2026-08-14T20:28:01+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 3 independent outlets Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Friday castigated the Bar Council of India (BCI) for threatening to deny practising licences to NALSAR University students who had objected to his being chief guest at the convocation. A three-judge Supreme Court bench led by the CJI called the BCI action 'totally uncalled for' and said students had a fundamental right to protest peacefully. The court restrained BCI and all state bar councils from taking coercive action against the students and faculty. The BCI had issued a circular late Thursday identifying protesting students and threatening to deny them registration, but withdrew it after public outcry. The CJI offered the law graduates a start as legal aid counsel in the Supreme Court. The Federal reports that political observers say the CJI's intervention reflects a recognition of broader public sentiment in favour of the students. ## Coverage - thefederal.com - timesofindia.indiatimes.com - timesnownews.com Tags: Bar Council of India, NALSAR University of Law, Supreme Court of India, Surya Kant Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/cji-slams-bci-over-nalsar-protest-threat-offers-sc-jobs/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/cji-slams-bci-over-nalsar-protest-threat-offers-sc-jobs/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.