BCI halts enrolment of NALSAR 2026 batch students over campaign against CJI Surya Kant

The Bar Council of India (BCI) has warned that students of the 2026 batch of NALSAR, Hyderabad found to be behind the campaign opposing the participation of Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant in the institution's convocation will be barred from enrolment with state bar councils.

The direction, signed by BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra, was issued to NALSAR Vice-Chancellor Prof Srikrishna Deva Rao and all state bar councils. The University has been asked to submit a report on the persons instrumental in initiating, organising, or mobilising the campaign.

"Till further orders, no student of NALSAR University of Law, who has obtained the Law Degree in the year 2026, shall be enrolled by any State Bar Council as an Advocate," the circular reads.

The BCI has taken note of reports concerning an organised campaign at NALSAR opposing the CJI's proposed participation in the convocation. Justifying its call for action, the BCI says,

"As per some reliable sources, there exists groupism and dirty politics among some of the academic staff and they have played very active role in misleading, instigating and misguiding the students. This is a very serious matter. The teachers, instead of involving themselves in their teaching job, are doing nasty politics in the campus. Bar Council of India, being the regulator of Legal Education cannot be a mute spectator of such a serious situation."

The BCI has asked the University to furnish, within 3 days, an authenticated report identifying persons "principally instrumental" in initiating, organising, drafting, coordinating or mobilising the campaign, along with a complete copy of any representation or petition submitted and the list of signatories on record.

"Upon receipt and preliminary examination of the authenticated report from NALSAR University of Law, the Bar Council of India shall separately communicate to the State Bar Councils the names of such persons, if any, whose individual role requires further statutory consideration.

Where the name of a particular person is specifically communicated by the Bar Council of India for such inquiry, no order granting enrolment shall be passed and the name of such person shall not be entered upon the State Roll. If the enrolment application is already pending, the final decision thereon shall remain deferred during the period of inquiry," the BCI circular states.

The report is also expected to identify office-bearers of the Student Bar Council, as well as any faculty member, research scholar, alumnus or outsider who participated in the campaign.

Invoking its powers under Sections 7(1)(b), (g), (h) and (i), and Section 49 of the Advocates Act, 1961(which sets out the functions and rule-making powers of the Bar Council of India), the BCI stated that the Standards of Professional Conduct and Etiquette apply equally to law students.

It says that conduct involving organised intimidation, coercion or a call for boycott against a constitutional functionary is distinct from legitimate expression.

The communication clarifies that the BCI has not, at this stage, held that any person is disqualified from enrolment under Section 24A merely for participating in the representation or campaign. It stated that a distinction would be maintained between those who merely signed or supported the representation and those who organised, coordinated or mobilised an actual boycott or disruption.

Where a name is specifically communicated by the BCI for inquiry, state bar councils have been directed to withhold enrolment. Where an application is already pending, bar councils are required to defer the final decision and intimate the BCI of the application's status. Such deferment, the BCI said in its communication, is intended solely to preserve the integrity of the statutory enrolment process. Communication of a name at the preliminary stage does not itself amount to a finding of misconduct.

The BCI has stated that a final decision in the matter will be taken on August 19, 2026, after receipt of the University's report.

[Read Notification]