'Manan Mishra ji alarms are ringing': CJP's dig as BCI Co-Chair gets behind resignation demand

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) spokesperson Saurav Das on Friday hailed the Bar Council of India (BCI) co-chairman's call for Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra’s resignation. Co-Chairman and senior advocate YR Sadashiva Reddy has sought Mishra’s resignation, saying “the Bar deserves better”.

"The call for Manan Mishra’s resignation is louder today! Now the BCI’s co-chairman has asked him to resign citing that the lawyers deserve better. A huge question mark on financial decisions by Mishra," Das wrote in a post on X.

In a direct dig at the BCI chairman, Das said, "Manan Mishra ji, the alarm bells are ringing. Legal Cockroaches will ensure accountability!"

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The jibe comes in response to Mishra's remarks against the Cockroach Janta Party. On Friday, the BCI chairman dismissed calls for his resignation and raised objections over the CJP calling the lawyers "legal cockroaches".

"Don't you dare use the term "legal cockroaches" ever again. I am telling you this. A lawyer cannot be a cockroach. Lawyers belong to a respected class; they are a highly intelligent group," said Mishra.

Manan Mishra's tenure challenged in SC

Manan Mishra's tenure as BCI chairman has also been challenged in the Supreme Court, with a petition questioning the senior advocate's more than a decade-long term in the office. The petition, filed by advocate Yogamaya MG, has claimed that Mishra's uninterrupted tenure was in violation of the rules.

The petitioner has contended that Rule 12(2) of the BCI Rules prescribes a two-year limit for the Chairman's term. Rule 12(2) of the BCI Rules allow a two-year tenure for the Chairman and Vice-Chairman, or until cessation of membership, whichever is earlier. The petition said that an administrative notification cannot extend the tenure beyond what the Rules permit.

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He has also challenged an April 2025 gazette notification that purportedly extends Mishra's tenure until 2030, arguing that such an extension is inconsistent with the statutory framework governing the BCI.

The petition traces Manan Kumar Mishra's tenure as BCI Chairman back to 2012. It stated that although he briefly demitted office in 2014, he returned as Chairman in November that year and has continued in the position ever since. Mishra was once again elected unopposed in March 2025, which the petitioner claimed marks his seventh consecutive term at the helm of the BCI.

The petition also raised questions about the political activities of Mishra while he has remained Chairman of the BCI. It referred to his becoming a Rajya Sabha member after being nominated by the BJP in 2024.