Who are they to raise issue: CJI slams Bar Council's order against NALSAR students
A Supreme Court bench led by CJI Surya Kant took exception to BCI's now-withdrawn direction to state bar councils to indefinitely refrain from enrolling graduates of the NALSAR 2026 batch.
A Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Friday took strong exception to the Bar Council of India's (BCI's) now-withdrawn direction against students of the 2026 batch of Hyderabad-based NALSAR law university. Calling the BCI order, which directed state bar councils to refrain from enrolling the 2026 NALSAR batch, "absolutely uncalled for," the CJI said that no punitive action should be taken against the students.
The row stems from a letter written by students of the 2026 NALSAR batch in which they had opposed CJI Surya Kant being invited as the chief guest to their convocation ceremony. In response, the BCI asked NALSAR (National Academy of Legal Studies and Research University of Law) to probe the protest campaign and directed state councils to avoid enrolling the graduating students till further orders.
The order was withdrawn within hours after massive backlash. The CJI-led Supreme Court bench said the BCI "has nothing to do" in the matter as it was a dialogue between him and the students.
The Supreme Court's observations came after a plea challenging the extremely short-lived circular was mentioned for urgent listing. "Students have right to protest, it is a dialogue between them and the CJI," the Chief Justice remarked orally.
"What is the role of the Bar Council? BCI is unnecessarily interfering," he added.
The bench, also comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, issued notice to the BCI seeking its response on the plea and directed that no punitive action be taken against the students or faculty of the NALSAR at the instance of the statutory body or any of the state bar councils.
The counsel appearing for the BCI told the bench that the circular has been withdrawn. Subsequently, the matter was posted for hearing after two weeks.
HOW THE ROW ERUPTED?
Last week, a section of outgoing students at NALSAR had opposed the invitation extended to CJI Kant to preside over the university's 2026 convocation ceremony.
More than 450 students from the Batch of 2026 signed a representation addressed to the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, professors and other university authorities, urging them to reconsider the reported decision to invite the CJI as the chief guest.
In their letter, the students had raised perceived concerns over recent judicial developments, particularly his handling of a hearing concerning alleged police excesses against protesters during the Cockroach Janta Party-led Parliament march on July 20.
On Thursday, August 13, the BCI directed all state bar councils not to enrol any 2026 graduate of NALSAR University of Law as advocates until further orders, but reversed this order within hours after an uproar on social media.
In the initial statement, BCI chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra, who is also a BJP Rajya Sabha MP, said the body was examining allegations regarding a campaign against CJI Kant's participation in the university's convocation and had sought a report identifying those responsible.
The top statutory body for lawyers said a final decision in the matter would be taken on August 19 after taking into consideration the material placed before it.
The BCI then modified its decision following the backlash on social media and allowed state bar councils to enrol 2026 graduates of NALSAR University of Law as advocates.
The new notification modified the earlier order, saying the "vast majority" of the students were innocent and should not be made to suffer for the alleged misconduct of a few.
A Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Friday took strong exception to the Bar Council of India's (BCI's) now-withdrawn direction against students of the 2026 batch of Hyderabad-based NALSAR law university. Calling the BCI order, which directed state bar councils to refrain from enrolling the 2026 NALSAR batch, "absolutely uncalled for," the CJI said that no punitive action should be taken against the students.
The row stems from a letter written by students of the 2026 NALSAR batch in which they had opposed CJI Surya Kant being invited as the chief guest to their convocation ceremony. In response, the BCI asked NALSAR (National Academy of Legal Studies and Research University of Law) to probe the protest campaign and directed state councils to avoid enrolling the graduating students till further orders.
The order was withdrawn within hours after massive backlash. The CJI-led Supreme Court bench said the BCI "has nothing to do" in the matter as it was a dialogue between him and the students.
The Supreme Court's observations came after a plea challenging the extremely short-lived circular was mentioned for urgent listing. "Students have right to protest, it is a dialogue between them and the CJI," the Chief Justice remarked orally.
"What is the role of the Bar Council? BCI is unnecessarily interfering," he added.
The bench, also comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, issued notice to the BCI seeking its response on the plea and directed that no punitive action be taken against the students or faculty of the NALSAR at the instance of the statutory body or any of the state bar councils.
The counsel appearing for the BCI told the bench that the circular has been withdrawn. Subsequently, the matter was posted for hearing after two weeks.
HOW THE ROW ERUPTED?
Last week, a section of outgoing students at NALSAR had opposed the invitation extended to CJI Kant to preside over the university's 2026 convocation ceremony.
More than 450 students from the Batch of 2026 signed a representation addressed to the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, professors and other university authorities, urging them to reconsider the reported decision to invite the CJI as the chief guest.
In their letter, the students had raised perceived concerns over recent judicial developments, particularly his handling of a hearing concerning alleged police excesses against protesters during the Cockroach Janta Party-led Parliament march on July 20.
On Thursday, August 13, the BCI directed all state bar councils not to enrol any 2026 graduate of NALSAR University of Law as advocates until further orders, but reversed this order within hours after an uproar on social media.
In the initial statement, BCI chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra, who is also a BJP Rajya Sabha MP, said the body was examining allegations regarding a campaign against CJI Kant's participation in the university's convocation and had sought a report identifying those responsible.
The top statutory body for lawyers said a final decision in the matter would be taken on August 19 after taking into consideration the material placed before it.
The BCI then modified its decision following the backlash on social media and allowed state bar councils to enrol 2026 graduates of NALSAR University of Law as advocates.
The new notification modified the earlier order, saying the "vast majority" of the students were innocent and should not be made to suffer for the alleged misconduct of a few.
A Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Friday took strong exception to the Bar Council of India's (BCI's) now-withdrawn direction against students of the 2026 batch of Hyderabad-based NALSAR law university. Calling the BCI order, which directed state bar councils to refrain from enrolling the 2026 NALSAR batch, "absolutely uncalled for," the CJI said that no punitive action should be taken against the students.
The row stems from a letter written by students of the 2026 NALSAR batch in which they had opposed CJI Surya Kant being invited as the chief guest to their convocation ceremony. In response, the BCI asked NALSAR (National Academy of Legal Studies and Research University of Law) to probe the protest campaign and directed state councils to avoid enrolling the graduating students till further orders.
The order was withdrawn within hours after massive backlash. The CJI-led Supreme Court bench said the BCI "has nothing to do" in the matter as it was a dialogue between him and the students.
The Supreme Court's observations came after a plea challenging the extremely short-lived circular was mentioned for urgent listing. "Students have right to protest, it is a dialogue between them and the CJI," the Chief Justice remarked orally.
"What is the role of the Bar Council? BCI is unnecessarily interfering," he added.
The bench, also comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, issued notice to the BCI seeking its response on the plea and directed that no punitive action be taken against the students or faculty of the NALSAR at the instance of the statutory body or any of the state bar councils.
The counsel appearing for the BCI told the bench that the circular has been withdrawn. Subsequently, the matter was posted for hearing after two weeks.
HOW THE ROW ERUPTED?
Last week, a section of outgoing students at NALSAR had opposed the invitation extended to CJI Kant to preside over the university's 2026 convocation ceremony.
More than 450 students from the Batch of 2026 signed a representation addressed to the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, professors and other university authorities, urging them to reconsider the reported decision to invite the CJI as the chief guest.
In their letter, the students had raised perceived concerns over recent judicial developments, particularly his handling of a hearing concerning alleged police excesses against protesters during the Cockroach Janta Party-led Parliament march on July 20.
On Thursday, August 13, the BCI directed all state bar councils not to enrol any 2026 graduate of NALSAR University of Law as advocates until further orders, but reversed this order within hours after an uproar on social media.
In the initial statement, BCI chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra, who is also a BJP Rajya Sabha MP, said the body was examining allegations regarding a campaign against CJI Kant's participation in the university's convocation and had sought a report identifying those responsible.
The top statutory body for lawyers said a final decision in the matter would be taken on August 19 after taking into consideration the material placed before it.
The BCI then modified its decision following the backlash on social media and allowed state bar councils to enrol 2026 graduates of NALSAR University of Law as advocates.
The new notification modified the earlier order, saying the "vast majority" of the students were innocent and should not be made to suffer for the alleged misconduct of a few.
