‘No further action’: A ban and a U-turn later, Bar Council closes proceedings against NALSAR Hyderabad’s 2026 batch

The Bar Council of India (BCI) has asked the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (Nalsar) University of Law to identify those behind a student campaign opposing Chief Justice of India Surya Kant’s participation in its convocation. In a dramatic turn of events on Thursday, the council first barred the entire 2026 graduating batch from enrolling as advocates, only to withdraw the blanket restriction hours later.

The council said its members had concluded that the “vast majority” of the 2026 graduates were “innocent” and had not intended to participate in any act of disrespect to the chief justice. It said all students from the batch would be entitled to enroll with the state council of their choice.

The first communication, issued on behalf of BCI chairman Manan Kumar Mishra, had directed that “no student of Nalsar University of Law, who has obtained the law degree in the year 2026, shall be enrolled by any state bar council as an advocate” until further orders". Notably, Mishra is a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, representing the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

The bar council has, however, not closed its inquiry. It has asked Nalsar vice-chancellor Srikrishna Deva Rao to submit, within three days, an authenticated report identifying people principally involved in initiating, organizing, drafting, coordinating or mobilizing the campaign.

The revised letter said the council had received information that “a handful of teachers and outsiders were instrumental in instigating the innocent students” and added that it awaits the vice-chancellor’s report before taking any further action.

“No student shall be made to suffer without any fault on his part,” the council said.

“The modification of the BCI’s earlier decision is a welcome and reassuring step. The earlier order had the potential to create uncertainty for law firms that had recruited students from the 2026 batch," said Gauhar Mirza, senior partner at Saraf and Partners. "Allowing the students to proceed with enrolment provides much-needed clarity and relief to the students as well as their prospective employers.”

The controversy comes in the backdrop of students at Nalsar, one of India’s top government law universities, opposing the invitation to the Chief Justice of India to participate in the university convocation. According to The Indian Express, around 450 of Nalsar's roughly 1,400 students had supported the objection.

The first representation was submitted on 23 July by 70 members of the outgoing LLB batch. Students from other batches subsequently submitted separate letters supporting the concerns raised by the graduating students.

The students questioned the choice of the Chief Justice as chief guest at the convocation, saying it was difficult to reconcile with Nalsar’s commitment to constitutional values and access to justice. They argued that the convocation should reflect the university’s commitment to constitutional rights and a reasoned approach to addressing grievances.

Nalsar is an important recruitment ground for corporate law firms, and was ranked third among law institutions in the National Institutional Ranking Framework’s 2025 rankings.

The bar council's initial order had raised questions about the scope of its powers to prevent an entire graduating batch from being enrolled as advocates. It had invoked Sections 7(1)(b), (g), (h) and (i), and Section 49 of the Advocates Act, 1961, which broadly deal with professional conduct, supervision of State Bar Councils, legal education, recognition of law universities and the BCI’s rule-making powers.

With the blanket enrolment restriction now withdrawn, the focus now shifts to the university’s inquiry and whether the council takes action against any teachers, outsiders or individuals who, it believes, played a role in organizing or instigating the campaign.

The controversy related to the Chief Justice traces back to his remarks in May, when he allegedly referred to unemployed youngsters who turn to activism and social media as “cockroaches” and “parasites”. The remarks triggered an online backlash and prompted launch of a satirical pressure group the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which quickly grew into a wider youth movement.

Mint sent queries to Nalsar and the bar council, seeking comments on the developments. They had not responded until press time.

About the Authors

Krishna Yadav is a Senior Correspondent at Mint, based in New Delhi, and part of the corporate bureau. He joined the newsroom as a trainee in 2023 and quickly grew into his current role. He writes on legal and regulatory developments in corporate India, with a focus on insolvency, taxation, company law, and policy. His reporting includes tracking and breaking key legal stories from the Supreme Court, Delhi High Court, NCLT, and NCLAT.<br><br>With a background in law, Krishna is known for simplifying complex legal developments into clear, accessible stories for readers. His work focuses on trends in corporate law and policy that affect businesses. This ranges from explaining tax disputes—like whether coconut hair oil is edible—to writing on why celebrities are seeking personal rights protection. He closely tracks India’s insolvency system, covering issues such as creditor losses, gaps in the process, and challenges in how the framework works in practice.<br><br>Krishna also tracks developments within law firms—covering hiring trends, how firms help companies navigate global challenges, and how the legal industry is adapting to artificial intelligence. Beyond legal reporting, he has written long-form pieces, including on-ground coverage of the 2024 general elections, capturing the scale and logistics of polling across India.<br><br>Outside work, he enjoys travelling, exploring new places, and reading about geopolitics and history.

Yash Tiwari is a Mumbai-based journalist who reports on corporate and regulatory developments, with a focus on court-driven policy shifts and the intersection of law and public policy. He has been in the profession for two years. Before joining Mint, he worked at NDTV Profit as an assistant producer on the TV desk while also reporting, gaining experience across television and print journalism and combining reporting with production expertise.<br><br> Born in Kolkata, a city he remains deeply connected to, Yash has a keen interest in the technicalities of Indian law and aims to decode complex legal developments in a clear and accessible manner for readers. He is a graduate of the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, where he completed his postgraduate diploma in journalism.<br><br> He closely follows politics and government policies, and has covered several state elections as a freelance journalist. His work is driven by the idea of making law less intimidating and more understandable for the general public.<br><br> When not at work, Yash can be found playing cricket, revisiting classic matches, or engaging in conversations about the evolving landscape of law and policy in India.

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