Lawyers protested outside the Bar Council of India office in New Delhi on Thursday to demand the resignation of Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra [1].
The demonstration highlights a growing rift between the legal fraternity and the council's leadership over the professional futures of law students. The conflict centers on the BCI's handling of enrollment eligibility for one of India's premier legal institutions.
The protests were sparked by a now-withdrawn order from the Bar Council of India [1]. That order would have barred the 2026 graduating batch [1] of NALSAR University from enrolling as advocates. Many members of the legal community deemed the restriction unfair to the students.
Although the council eventually rescinded the order, the move did not quell the anger of the protesting lawyers [2]. The group gathered at the BCI office in the capital to call for the removal of Chairman Mishra [3].
The dispute reflects broader tensions regarding the regulatory power of the BCI over university graduates. The 2026 batch [1] at NALSAR faced significant uncertainty regarding their ability to practice law before the order was reversed.
Lawyers participating in the protest said that the initial decision showed a lack of consideration for the students' academic efforts [4]. They said that the leadership's approach to the NALSAR row necessitated a change in chairmanship [5].
“Lawyers protested outside the Bar Council of India office in New Delhi”
This protest underscores the significant influence the Bar Council of India holds over the transition from legal education to professional practice. When the regulatory body threatens the enrollment of a graduating class from a top-tier institution like NALSAR, it creates a systemic risk for students and triggers a backlash from the wider legal community, who view such moves as arbitrary exercises of power.
