BENGALURU: Students of the National Law School of India University (NLSIU, Bengaluru) were quick to follow National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR, Hyderabad) students in opposing the attendance of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Bar Council of India Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra at the NLSIU convocation.
An open letter opposing their presence at the convocation has been signed by 165 students from NLSIU’s graduating class of 2026, another 409 students in the current batch and 128 alumni.
“At the time of opening this letter for signatures, we are aware that the BCI has closed all proceedings against NALSAR. However, the fact that such unconstitutional and illegal ‘proceedings’ can be initiated by a statutory body against students and faculty members of a public university in the first place does not alter the nature or the larger impact of such actions or dilute the responsibility of the Chairman and the BCI.
At no point, even after the recall of the ban on enrolment and the inquiry order, has the BCI acknowledged the arbitrary and illegal nature of its actions. Hence, we issue this statement to set the record straight and prevent such events from happening in the future,” the statement read.
The student body’s statement extended “unconditional solidarity” to the students of NALSAR, who had invited the BCI chairman’s wrath when some students opposed the invite to CJI Surya Kant to attend NALSAR’s convocation. “(We) express our disapproval of the CJI attending the convocation of NLSIU for the same reasons,” the statement read.
The statement also pointed out the haste with which Mishra’s directions came, with the chairman assuming a position of omnipotence and presuming within himself the consensus of the council. The repeated misconduct of the BCI Chairman has eroded public trust and confidence in the legal profession.
As young lawyers and citizens of this country, we demand a better BCI,” the statement continued. NLSIU students have not only demanded an apology from BCI, but also expressed “our strong disapproval about Mr Manan Kumar Mishra attending the convocation of NLSIU without taking responsibility for his conduct.”