After NALSAR, NLSIU Students Oppose CJI, BCI Chairman for Convocation

Bengaluru: Furore in the law academia continues as the students and alumni of the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru have followed suit to the NALSAR university student community and opposed to inviting Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Bar Council Of India Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra to the university’s annual convocation.

The move from the university’s current and former students come at a point where the students of one of India’s premier law institutes, NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad have come in lockhorns with the Bar Council of India Chairman and the CJI.

'Unconstitutional and Illegal'

The student community of the NLSIU condemned the recent actions by BCI against (later rolled back) the students of NALSAR University, terming it ‘unconstitutional and illegal’.

The Students of the NLSIU demanded the Bar Council of India unconditionally apologise to the student and faculty community at NALSAR for attempting to infringe their fundamental right to free speech and expression. They urged the BCI to explain the protocol for the use of the BCI’s official letterhead by the Chairperson Manan Mohan Mishra.

In a statement, the students of NLSIU have also expressed their ‘strong disapproval’ of

the university’s vice chancellor, CJI Surya Kant attending the convocation of their passing out batch, in solidarity to NALSAR University students.

They have also opposed Manan Mohan Mishra attending their convocation until he takes ‘responsibility for his conduct.’

NLSIU Students' Statement

“We, the students of NLSIU, have seen the words “Where the Mind is Without Fear” before entering our classrooms every day. We believe that the immortal words of Tagore reflect the ethos of all law universities and that students, faculty, and the administration must act and be encouraged to act according to their conscience and constitutional values, without fear. The BCI’s direction to NALSAR to investigate and “separately identify” students and faculty members involved in making the representation is nothing less than a witch-hunt. By labeling the constitutionally guaranteed student expression of free speech as “dirty” and “nasty politics” and a “serious situation” of “obstruction” and “disruption,” the BCI has sent an unabashed threat against students and faculty members, a modus operandi that we have seen play out over and over again across universities in the country.” The collective statement from the NLSIU read.

NALSAR Students vs CJI vs BCI

Earlier this week, the students of Nalsar University of Law had opposed and had given a representation to the university authorities against inviting the CJI to their convocation citing his ‘cockroach’ remarks on the unemployed youth of the nation, which culminated in the creation of the youth-led Cockroach protests and his alleged ignorant stand on the violent police crackdown on the Jantar Mantar protesters.

In reaction to this, on August 13, the Bar Council of India Chairman and BJP Rajya Sabha MP , Manan Mohan Mishra had issued a circular that any of the outgoing students from the NALSAR university’s 2026 batch shall not be allowed to be enrolled as advocates in this country.

Manan Mohan Mishra’s unilateral move had majorly backfired following mass uproar from legal circles across the country and the CJI himself criticised and said "It's a dialogue between students and me." He asked, "Who are they (BCI) to interfere?"

Manan Mohan Mishra subsequently had to roll back the order and clarify, saying “it was done in haste.”