Politics
Archived — This article has been archived. The information may be outdated.
Bar Council chief cannot also speak as party MP
Times of India··18 Aug
NALSAR students opposed inviting Chief Justice Surya Kant as convocation chief guest. On 13 August, Bar Council of India chairman Manan Kumar Mishra directed state bar councils not to enrol the 2026 batch until further orders. The council later withdrew the ban. Mishra is also a BJP Rajya Sabha MP. Senior advocate Sanjay Hegde said the letter lacked jurisdiction.
Prism
What It Means For You
- If you are a 2026 NALSAR graduate, the blanket direction not to enrol you was later withdrawn by the Bar Council.
- Anyone seeking enrolment as an advocate can note that State Bar Councils, not a chairman's letter, handle that statutory function.
- If you follow dual office, Mishra chairs the BCI and sits in the Rajya Sabha as a BJP MP.
What's Happening
- The BCI chairman directed state councils not to enrol NALSAR's 2026 batch, then withdrew the direction.
- Students had opposed the Chief Justice as convocation chief guest.
- The Supreme Court asked the council to explain the circulars and protected students and faculty.
Who Holds Enrolment Power Under The Advocates Act
- State Bar Councils enrol advocates; the BCI is a national regulator, not the enrolment authority for a college batch.
- Hegde said an unenrolled graduate is not yet subject to professional disciplinary control.
- Mishra has led the BCI since 2014 and entered the Rajya Sabha in 2024.
all-newsdaily-roundup
