Lawyers in Delhi protested on Aug. 20, 2024 [1], demanding the resignation of Bar Council of India chairman Manan Mishra.
The demonstration highlights a growing conflict over institutional autonomy in legal education. Advocates argue that the Bar Council of India (BCI) unlawfully intervened in the enrolment process at NALSAR University of Law, breaching the university's independent authority.
The protests took place outside the Bar Council of India office and near the Supreme Court in Delhi [1]. The Chief Justice of India publicly aligned himself with the demonstrators during the unrest.
"I stand with the lawyers demanding the resignation of Mr. Mishra," the Chief Justice of India said [1].
While the highest judicial officer in the country expressed support, some protest organizers sought to maintain the independence of the movement. One organizer said the movement is strictly theirs [2].
The grievances of the advocates extend beyond the NALSAR University dispute. Some participants highlighted the broader dangers facing legal professionals in the region.
"Lawyers are being attacked and killed daily," an advocate said during the protest [2].
The BCI's role is to regulate legal education and professional conduct, but the current controversy suggests a rift between the regulator and the practitioners it oversees. The demand for Mishra's resignation remains the central focus of the activists [1, 2].
“"I stand with the lawyers demanding the resignation of Mr. Mishra,"”
The public endorsement of a protest by the Chief Justice of India against the head of the Bar Council of India represents a significant institutional clash. By siding with the advocates, the Chief Justice signals a judicial preference for university autonomy over the regulatory overreach of the BCI, potentially shifting the power dynamics of legal accreditation and administration in India.
