# CJI Surya Kant pulls up BCI over NALSAR enrolment ban

2026-08-14T07:21:25+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 5 independent outlets

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Friday slammed the Bar Council of India (BCI) for issuing a circular that barred all 2026 graduates of NALSAR University of Law from enrolling as advocates. The CJI said the matter was a dialogue between him and the students, and the BCI had no business to interfere with their right to peaceful protest. The Supreme Court issued notice to the BCI and directed that no punitive action be taken against any NALSAR student or faculty member. Hours before the hearing, the BCI had withdrawn its ban after widespread backlash, stating that the vast majority of students were innocent. BCI chairman Manan Mishra later said no further inquiry would be conducted against the batch.

## Coverage

- ndtv.com <https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/nalsar-protest-this-is-between-students-and-me-chief-justice-on-bar-councils-order-11908399>
- livemint.com <https://www.livemint.com/news/india/who-are-they-to-cji-surya-kant-criticises-manan-mishra-a-timeline-of-bci-vs-nalsar-row-11786688586597.html>
- livemint.com <https://www.livemint.com/news/india/who-is-manan-kumar-mishra-bar-council-of-india-chairman-at-the-centre-of-nalsar-convocation-row-11786688046889.html>
- economictimes.indiatimes.com <https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/supreme-court-backs-nalsar-students-and-slams-bci-circular-cji-surya-kant-asks-who-are-they-to-interfere/articleshow/133229942.cms>
- newindianexpress.com <https://www.newindianexpress.com/india/2026/Aug/14/students-have-rights-to-protest-who-are-you-to-interfere-cji-pulls-up-bci-over-nalsar-circular>
- timesnownews.com <https://www.timesnownews.com/india/please-resign-now-cjps-saurav-das-demands-bci-chief-manan-mishras-exit-over-nalsar-row-article-155610901>
- timesnownews.com <https://www.timesnownews.com/india/this-is-between-me-students-cji-reacts-to-nalsar-row-says-bci-has-no-business-barring-graduates-article-155610671>
- ndtv.com <https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/nalsar-protest-this-is-between-students-and-me-chief-justice-on-bar-councils-order-11908399#publisher=newsstand>
- ndtv.com <https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/cji-surya-kant-nalsar-done-in-haste-bar-council-chief-manan-mishra-on-order-against-law-students-and-u-turn-11908334#publisher=newsstand>

Tags: Bar Council of India, legal education, Manan Mishra, NALSAR, student protest, Supreme Court
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