Convocation row: NALSAR Executive Council to decide whether BCI-mandated inquiry is permissible under University rules

National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR) University of Law, Hyderabad will refer to its Executive Council the Bar Council of India's (BCI) demand for an inquiry report on the CJI Surya Kant convocation row.

The University's response follows two circulars from BCI on August 13. The BCI first barred the entire 2026 batch from being enrolled as advocates.

The second circular, passed within hours of the first, reversed the decision but retained the demand for an inquiry report on the persons instrumental in initiating, organising, or mobilising the campaign to protest the invitation of the CJI to the convocation.

Vice Chancellor (VC) Srikrishna Deva Rao has said that NALSAR would first examine, under its governance regulations, whether such an inquiry is a constitutional exercise of its powers.

"Given the nature of the request, the University will have to consider whether conducting such an inquiry will be a constitutional exercise of its powers. In order to assist the University, assess whether conducting such an inquiry would be constitutional and permissible under the University's governance regulations, the matter will be placed before the Executive Council of the University (the Executive Council is the University highest decision-making body under the statute establishing the University)," a press release issued by the VC says.

Once the Executive Council consultation is complete, it will be communicated to BCI, the release states.

The BCI letters followed a representation signed by 450 of the roughly 1500 students at NALSAR requesting the VC to reconsider inviting CJI Surya Kant as Chief Guest for their convocation. The students cited the response of a Supreme Court Bench led by the CJI to a plea over police excesses against protesters at the "Chalo Sansad" march at Jantar Mantar on July 20. 

[Read Press Release]