BENGALURU: Students and alumni of the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) have expressed strong disapproval over Bar Council of India (BCI) chairman Manan Kumar Mishra attending the university’s convocation without taking responsibility for his conduct in the NALSAR University of Law issue as also the Chief Justice of India.In a statement signed by 165 graduating students of the Class of 2026, 409 current students and 128 alumni, the NLSIU community also extended “unconditional solidarity” to students and faculty of NALSAR.The students said a convocation was a “monumental event” in a student’s academic life and an important achievement for their families. “Inviting persons in high office to confer degrees to students towards whom they have publicly expressed their disdain and condescension is offensive, humiliating, and a mockery of students and their struggles,” they said.“We express our strong disapproval about Mr Manan Kumar Mishra attending the convocation of NLSIU without taking responsibility for his conduct; We stand in solidarity with NALSAR in their request to reconsider the choice of the Chief Justice of India as Chief Guest for their Convocation and express our strong disapproval of the CJI attending the convocation of NLSIU for the same reasons,” read the statement.The students have demanded that the Bar Council of India unconditionally apologises to the student and faculty community at NALSAR for attempting to infringe their fundamental right to free speech and expression. It has also called upon the Bar Council of India to explain the protocol for the use of the BCI’s official letterhead by the Chairperson.The students criticised the BCI’s directions to NALSAR to identify students and faculty members involved in making a representation, describing it as a “witch-hunt” and warning that such actions could have a chilling effect on free speech across universities “by sending them a clear signal that any act of dissent will be met with severe personal and professional consequences”.They argued that the BCI’s actions were beyond the powers granted to it under the Advocates Act, 1961, and alleged that the directions interfered with the constitutional right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a).The statement also criticised what it described as a pattern of partisan political comments by the BCI chairman and said repeated conduct had eroded public trust in the legal profession. “As young lawyers and citizens of this country, we demand a better BCI,” they said.The statement noted that the BCI had subsequently closed proceedings against NALSAR, but argued that the initiation of such proceedings by a statutory body itself raised concerns. The signatories said they were issuing the statement to “set the record straight” and prevent similar incidents in the future.The statement was released on Saturday.
