After backlash, BCI chairman apologises to law students over NALSAR controversy
HYDERABAD: Hyderabad: Bar Council of India (BCI) chairman Manan Kumar Mishra on Saturday apologised to all law students in the country over his words amid the ongoing controversy over NALSAR university convocation, saying he “sincerely regret and apologise” if anything connected with the controversy had hurt their feelings.The letter was shared on the official email ID of the Student Bar Council by the BCI chairman’s office. In the letter, addressed to law students on Independence Day, Mishra said the developments of the past few days had caused “concern and anguish” among a section of students. He said their concerns deserved to be heard “with patience, sensitivity and respect”.“Students must always remain free to express their views,” BCI chairman Mishra said in the letter, while appealing for the issue to be considered through dialogue and mutual respect. He also said a student’s decision on attending a convocation “should be taken independently” after considering the matter in its entirety.The apology comes amid the row over NALSAR University of Law students’ opposition to Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant being invited as chief guest for their convocation. Around 450 students had submitted six representations to the university administration on July 23, asking it to reconsider the invitation. The students were from different cohorts.The issue escalated on August 13 after the BCI directed state bar councils not to enrol members of NALSAR’s 2026 graduating batch and sought details of students and faculty involved in the representations. The BCI subsequently withdrew the enrolment directive and closed the proceedings after the move drew widespread criticism.In his letter, Manan Mishra said law students were “fully capable of applying their own independent minds” and did not require anyone to decide for them. He also said no student should be compelled either to attend or abstain from a convocation.The letter did not specifically refer to the withdrawn enrolment directive. Mishra said the relationship between the judiciary, Bar, universities and law students was deeper than any temporary controversy and expressed hope that the issue would now be considered “with fairness and a spirit of reconciliation”.The development comes a day after the Supreme Court questioned the BCI’s intervention in the NALSAR matter, with Justice Surya Kant saying the issue was between him and the students.
