NLSIU Students Back NALSAR Cohort and Condemn BCI Action in Hyderabad

Students and alumni of the National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, on Saturday issued a statement condemning Bar Council of India Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra's recent actions against outgoing students of NALSAR University of Law in Hyderabad. The signatories demanded an unconditional apology from the regulatory body to NALSAR students and faculty.

A total of 574 current and outgoing students alongside 128 alumni of NLSIU extended solidarity with the Hyderabad-based law varsity. The solidarity statement supported NALSAR students in their request to reconsider inviting the Chief Justice of India as the chief guest for their convocation ceremony.

The row began after several NALSAR students objected to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant attending the convocation as the chief guest. The students raised concerns over the refusal of a Supreme Court bench led by the Chief Justice to grant an urgent listing for a plea regarding alleged police action against demonstrators during the peaceful 'Chalo Sansad' protest at Jantar Mantar on July 20.

In response to the student objections, the BCI Chairman instructed State Bar Councils to halt the enrolment of outgoing NALSAR graduates and sought a detailed inquiry report from the Vice Chancellor. The BCI subsequently withdrew the directives following widespread backlash.

In their joint statement, the NLSIU students and alumni questioned the legal basis of the BCI's directives. They pointed out that while the Advocates Act empowers the BCI to lay down standards of professional conduct and promote legal education, it grants no authority to instruct State Bar Councils to arbitrarily ban or suspend the enrolment of qualified individuals.

The signatories characterised the BCI's instruction directing NALSAR administration to investigate and separately identify participating students and faculty members as a witch-hunt.

The group also expressed strong disapproval of the Chief Justice of India and the BCI Chairman attending the NLSIU convocation, calling on the council to clarify the formal protocol surrounding the use of official BCI letters by its chairman.