Bar Council Chief Apologises After Row Over Barring NALSAR Hyderabad Students

Bar Council of India Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra has apologised and stated that "independence of thought" must be respected, following widespread criticism and a reprimand from Chief Justice of India Surya Kant over an order that barred the 2026 graduating batch of NALSAR University of Law in Hyderabad from enrolling as advocates.

The controversy began after a section of the graduating class at the Hyderabad-based law university opposed a proposal to invite Chief Justice Surya Kant as the chief guest for its convocation ceremony. The students' objection stemmed from remarks made during a hearing regarding an urgent listing petition on alleged police brutality during Cockroach Janata Party-led protests at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, where Justice Kant had said "don't waste our time", later clarifying that he had asked for the plea to be filed properly rather than declining to hear it.

In response to the students' opposition, the Bar Council of India, headed by Mishra, who is also a BJP Rajya Sabha MP, issued an order on Thursday directing all state bar councils to halt the enrollment of students from NALSAR's 2026 batch until further directions. The order stated that a law student lacking respect for the highest judicial office could not be expected to become a responsible advocate, teacher, or judge.

The directive drew widespread condemnation from legal circles and political groups. Supreme Court Bar Association President and Senior Advocate Vikas Singh termed the action arbitrary, illegal, and disproportionate, while the Cockroach Janata Party also called for an immediate withdrawal of the ban.

Hours after issuing the directive, Mishra posted on social media platform X stating that the vast majority of students were innocent and should not suffer for the alleged misconduct of a few, promising an inquiry. As criticism mounted, the Bar Council withdrew the order entirely late on Thursday night.

On Friday, Chief Justice Kant pulled up the Bar Council for issuing the order, questioning its interference in the situation. Justice Kant described the move as absolutely uncalled for, noting that he was actively engaged in protests as a student himself and stated that the matter was a dialogue between him and the students.