BCI withdraws order barring enrolment of NALSAR 2026 batch students over campaign against CJI Surya Kant

The Bar Council of India (BCI) has withdrawn its order to halt the enrolment of students of the 2026 batch of NALSAR, Hyderabad found to be behind the campaign opposing the participation of Chief Justice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.

The new circular issued by BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra within hours of the earlier communication states that members of the BCI debated the move to halt enrolments.

"After thorough discussion the Members are of the unanimous view that as per the latest report, vast majority of the students of NALSAR (2026 pass out students) are innocent and they were not inclined to take part in the move of disrespect. Accordingly, the Council modifies the order of Chairman with regard to the ban on the enrolment of the NALSAR Students with the State Bar Councils. All the students will be entitled to get enrolled with the State Bar Councils of their choice," the BCI said.

Mishra had earlier asked NALSAR Vice-Chancellor Prof Srikrishna Deva Rao and all state bar councils to submit a report on the persons instrumental in initiating, organising, or mobilising the campaign.

It had also ordered state bar councils not to enrol NALSAR 2026 batch students pending further orders.

"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 had said.

The new circular states,

"It has further been reported by some reliable sources that a handful of teachers and outsiders were instrumental in instigating the innocent students.

The Council will wait for the inquiry report of the Learned Vice-Chancellor and the further action will be taken after receipt of the report.

The letter dated 13.08.2026 bearing No.BCI:D:5449/2026 of the Hon'ble Chairman issued today is modified to the aforementioned extent.

No student shall be made to suffer without any fault on his part."

In the earlier circular, the BCI took 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.

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

[Read modified circular]