--- title: "Three lawyers’ collectives demand resignation of BCI chair over NALSAR row" url: https://projectchintan.com/article/india-bci-chair-resignation-nalsar-row-hn8sz publisher: Project Chintan author: Project Chintan Newsroom section: Politics published: 2026-08-16T15:08:40.074Z modified: 2026-08-16T17:00:06.306Z language: en-IN --- # Three lawyers’ collectives demand resignation of BCI chair over NALSAR row Three lawyers’ collectives with 700+ members urged Bar Council of India Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra to resign, citing a controversial NALSAR episode. Mishra apologized after initially barring 2026 graduates from enrollment, then withdrew the order; the CJI rebuked the directive. The groups hinted at ## Key takeaways - Three lawyers’ collectives with over 700 members call for Manan Kumar Mishra’s resignation as BCI chairman. - The push follows a controversy over a directive on enrolling NALSAR’s 2026 graduates, which was later withdrawn. - The Chief Justice of India publicly rebuked the directive, and Mishra apologized a day later. - The collectives threaten a no-confidence motion if Mishra does not quit. - The episode ties to broader questions about independence and governance of India’s legal profession. ## What Happened Three lawyers’ collectives, together claiming more than 700 members nationwide, demanded the resignation of Bar Council of India (BCI) Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra in connection with a dispute involving NALSAR University of Law. The groups endorsed a letter calling for Mishra’s departure and indicated they may pursue a no-confidence motion through the Bar Council if he does not resign. The controversy centered on a directive Mishra issued, which barred the 2026 graduating batch at NALSAR from enrolling with state bar councils. This directive was later followed by a second BCI letter stating the earlier order had been modified and the bar on enrollment was withdrawn. The sequence drew a rebuke from the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, who said the students had a right to protest and questioned the BCI’s stance. A day after the CJI’s remarks, Mishra issued an apology to the students. ## Why It Matters The scholars’ groups linked the incident to the broader independence and integrity of the legal profession, arguing that weak leadership undermines the profession’s role in a democracy. They signaled a governance challenge within the statutory body that oversees the legal profession in India and suggested a potential formal challenge to Mishra’s leadership through a no-confidence motion if he does not step down. ## Background The event followed a dispute at NALSAR University of Law over the presence of the Chief Justice of India at a convocation and related comments about police actions in protests. Mishra’s directive restricting enrollment for a graduating class and subsequent withdrawal by the BCI occurred in the wake of that controversy, drawing institutional scrutiny from the judiciary and legal circles. ## Key Facts - Event date referenced: August 2026 (report published Aug 16, 2026). - BCI Chairman: Manan Kumar Mishra. - Three lawyers’ collectives involved: All India Lawyers Association for Justice, National Alliance for Justice Accountability and Rights, and Queer Lawyers Association. - Group membership: over 700 members nationwide. - Controversy origin: directive barring the 2026 NALSAR graduating batch from enrolling with state bar councils. - BCI response: initial directive followed by a later withdrawal/modification of the enrollment bar. - CJI reaction: rebuked the directive and affirmed students’ right to protest. - Subsequent action by Mishra: apology to the students the day after the CJI’s rebuke. - Possible next step: the collectives signaled a no-confidence motion if Mishra does not resign. - Related context: controversy over the presence of the CJI at NALSAR convocation and related statements on police actions during protests. ## What Happens Next The organizers have indicated they will proceed with formal letters and potential internal actions within the Bar Council if Mishra does not resign, including a possible no-confidence motion. No further, scheduled decisions from the BCI or Bar Councils are documented in the source material. --- Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/india-bci-chair-resignation-nalsar-row-hn8sz Reported from: Multiple Sources