NALSAR row sparks fresh protest: Lawyers demand resignation of BCI chief Manan Mishra | India News
NEW DELHI: A group of lawyers on Thursday protested outside the Bar Council of India (BCI) office, demanding the resignation of chairman Manan Kumar Mishra. The protest came days after the council’s now-withdrawn order targeting the enrolment of NALSAR University’s graduating batch drew criticism from sections of the legal fraternity.Heavy police deployment was seen near the BCI office as demonstrators raised slogans and held placards calling for Mishra’s resignation and greater accountability. The protest was organised by the All India Young Advocates Association and supported by the Cockroach Janta Party.Advocate Raman Sharma told news agency ANI that the protest was driven by lawyers despite the support from the Cockroach Janta Party.“It is fine if the Cockroach Janta Party has supported us–that is well and good… our own fraternity certainly should have thought about it. However, this is strictly a movement by advocates against our own apex body to address the shortcomings within the organisation and press for our legitimate demands,” he said.Questioning Mishra’s tenure, Sharma said, “The Chairman has held his position for 14 years; what has he actually done for the legal fraternity…The All India Young Lawyers Association are demanding the BCI Chairman’s resignation. We are making the same demand.”Advocate Umesh Kumar, holding the Constitution during the protest, questioned Mishra’s record on lawyer welfare and alleged that the BCI had focused on “political agendas” while issues affecting lawyers remained unaddressed.“Name one thing the BCI Chairman has done for the welfare of law students or lawyers… Lawyers are attacked daily and are being murdered inside police stations…He remains silent when it comes to our welfare, yet he is always at the forefront of advancing political agendas–often misusing official BCI letters to do so,” Kumar said.He added that the protesters were also seeking action on broader professional concerns, including lawyer welfare, stipends, chambers, the Advocates Act and regulation of law colleges. “There are claims that 35% to 40% of the people in this profession are fake lawyers,” Kumar alleged.A day before the protest, CJP spokesperson Saurav Das voiced support for the demonstration, backing a peaceful protest seeking accountability. He also pointed to the Bombay Bar Association’s call for Mishra’s resignation.
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The protest follows the BCI’s August 13 order directing State Bar Councils not to enrol NALSAR’s 2026 graduating batch after a student campaign opposing the invitation of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant to the university’s convocation.The Bombay Bar Association has also demanded Mishra’s resignation, saying his August 15 apology was belated and could not be regarded as an expression of “true remorse” while he continued as chairman.The BCI withdrew the order after criticism, saying the “vast majority” of students were innocent. Mishra later apologised, saying, “If anything connected with the present controversy, any of my words, or letter, has hurt the feelings of our law students, I sincerely regret and apologise for the same.”CJI Surya Kant subsequently called the BCI order “absolutely unnecessary” and backed the students’ right to protest.
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