Advocates protested in Delhi against BCI chairman Manan Kumar Mishra, with the NALSAR enrolment controversy adding to wider grievances over lawyers’ welfare and representation.
Lawyers on Thursday staged a protest outside the Bar Council of India (BCI) office in Delhi, demanding the resignation of chairman Manan Kumar Mishra amid growing criticism over his handling of the NALSAR University controversy.
Heavy police deployment was put in place around the BCI headquarters as protesters carrying placards raised slogans against Mishra and sought greater accountability from the apex regulatory body for lawyers.
The demonstration was organised by the All India Young Advocates Association and received support from the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). Protesters, however, stressed that the agitation was being led by advocates over issues concerning their own profession.
Advocate Raman Sharma said CJP’s support was welcome but described the demonstration as “strictly a movement by advocates†focused on shortcomings in the apex body.
Sharma questioned Mishra’s long tenure as BCI chairman and accused the council of failing to adequately represent lawyers on issues affecting their professional lives.
Another protester, Advocate Umesh Kumar, alleged that the BCI leadership had remained silent over attacks on lawyers and other welfare concerns while involving itself in matters that protesters believed fell outside its priorities.
The lawyers also raised demands relating to stipends, chambers, implementation of the Advocates Act, lawyer welfare, and stricter scrutiny of law colleges and allegedly fake law degrees.
The immediate trigger for Thursday’s protest was the controversy involving NALSAR University.
On August 13, the BCI directed State Bar Councils not to enrol graduates of NALSAR’s 2026 batch after some students opposed a proposal to invite Chief Justice of India Surya Kant to their convocation.
The decision triggered widespread criticism and was withdrawn within hours. The BCI subsequently said that the majority of students could not be held responsible for the actions of a few.
CJI Surya Kant later criticised the BCI’s intervention, saying the council had no business interfering with students’ right to hold a peaceful protest. Mishra subsequently apologised if his words or communications during the controversy had hurt students.
The withdrawal of the directive and the apology, however, failed to end the pressure on Mishra.
Thursday’s demonstration has now widened the NALSAR controversy into a broader challenge to Mishra’s leadership, with protesting lawyers linking their resignation demand to what they described as longstanding failures of the BCI to address issues affecting the legal profession.
