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The row over the Bar Council of India’s (BCI) action against NALSAR University’s 2026 graduating class has grown bigger. The Bombay Bar Association (BBA) has strongly criticised BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra’s behaviour and has questioned whether he should continue in his post.
BBA Rejects Mishra’s Apology
The Association said Mishra’s apology on August 15 came too late. It said the apology looked like an attempt to cool down the situation, not a genuine “sorry.”
BBA Reviews the Events
On August 18, the Bombay Bar Association sent out a letter. This came after its Standing Committee met on August 17 and 18 to discuss the matter.
BBA Calls for Resignation
The Association said Mishra’s apology cannot be seen as ‘true remorse,’ because he is still holding the Chairman’s post even after what he did. It said that, ideally, “he ought to have already resigned.”
Committee Reviews August 13 Order
The committee had reviewed everything that happened between August 13 and 15, including Mishra’s order telling State Bar Councils not to register NALSAR’s 2026 graduates as lawyers.
Order Called an ‘Abuse’
The Standing Committee called the August 13 letter an ‘abuse’ of the Chairman’s office. It pointed out that the students were never given a chance to explain their side before this order was passed.
The Association said this order could have seriously damaged the careers of the graduating students.
BBA Welcomes Withdrawal
The Bombay Bar Association did welcome one thing, however- the BCI’s later decision to cancel the action against the students. It called this “a step in the right direction and a step which restores the faith in the institution of the Bar Council of India, in whom we continue to repose our faith.”
BBA Objects to Mishra’s Action
The Association said the Chairman’s post carries great importance and responsibility, which is why the August 13 order was ‘uncalled for’.
It said it felt “deepest anguish” that Mishra, “while occupying the post as Chairman of the Bar Council of India,” had issued orders against the NALSAR students that did “not fall within the purview of the Bar Council of India”- meaning it was not something the BCI Chairman had the power to do.
How the Row Began
The trouble began on August 13, when BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra ordered State Bar Councils to stop enrolling NALSAR’s 2026 graduates as advocates.
Order Sparks Backlash
This happened after reports that some outgoing students had objected to inviting Chief Justice of India Surya Kant to their convocation. The objection was reportedly linked to his earlier comments on the NEET student protests in Delhi.
BCI Drops Action Against Students
Many senior lawyers and Bar members criticised the BCI’s move. On August 14, late at night, Mishra posted on social media that the action against the entire 2026 batch was being dropped. He confirmed the students would be allowed to enrol.
Students Demand Apology
The row grew further when NALSAR’s Student Bar Council openly criticised the August 13 order and demanded an apology from the BCI Chairman. The student body said:
“It (the letter) reflects the classic ‘anti-national’ narrative, in which dissent is not engaged with on its merits but is explained away as the work of external actors manipulating impressionable students in a patronising fashion. The post of Chairperson of BCI is the epitome of a statutory regulatory body. The current chairperson’s actions are unbecoming of his post and the constitutional directives that he is expected to uphold.”
Mishra Apologises
On August 15, Mishra apologised through another communication. However, the issue has not ended and continues to face scrutiny from institutions and the legal community.
Plea Challenges BCI Rules
Separately, a writ petition has been filed in the Supreme Court. It challenges the rule that allows the same people to continue holding top positions in the BCI and State Bar Councils indefinitely. It also asks for a review of how the BCI functions.
