NLSIU students, alumni condemn BCI action against NALSAR

Students and alumni of NLSIU Bengaluru condemned the BCI’s action against outgoing NALSAR students following objections to the CJI attending their convocation. They demanded an unconditional apology and questioned the BCI’s authority to interfere with student enrolment

Hyderabad: The National Law School of India University (NLSIU) Bengaluru students and alumni on Saturday condemned Bar Council of India Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra’s recent action, including halting State Bar Councils’ enrolment of NALSAR University of Law outgoing students. They demanded that the BCI extend an unconditional apology to NALSAR students and faculty.

In a statement, 574 current and outgoing students and 128 alumni of the NLSIU extended solidarity with NALSAR in its request to reconsider the choice of the Chief Justice of India as chief guest for its Convocation. They also expressed their strong ‘disapproval’ of the CJI attending the convocation of NLSIU for the same reasons.

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They called upon the BCI to explain the protocol for the use of the BCI’s official letter by the Chairman. They expressed disapproval of Mishra attending the NLSIU convocation without taking responsibility for his conduct.

Following some NALSAR students objecting to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant as chief guest for the varsity’s convocation, the BCI Chairman directed the State Bar Councils not to enrol the outgoing students and also sought a detailed inquiry report from the Vice Chancellor over the issue. Later, the BCI withdrew the letters after backlash from various sections.

The NALSAR students had expressed concern over the refusal of the Supreme Court Bench led by the CJI to allow urgent listing of a plea concerning the alleged brutal police action against protesters during the peaceful ‘Chalo Sansad’ demonstration at Jantar Mantar on July 20.

The NLSIU students said while the Advocates Act permits the BCI to lay down standards for professional conduct and promote legal education, it does not allow the BCI to order State Bar Councils to arbitrarily suspend or ban the enrolment of a person otherwise qualified to be an advocate under law.

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’, they said.

“By labelling 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,” they added.