Lawyers protest outside BCI office, demand Chairman Mishra's resignation over NALSAR row
New Delhi: A group of lawyers on Thursday (August 20, 2026) staged a protest outside the office of the Bar Council of India (BCI), demanding the resignation of BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra. The demonstration, called by the All India Young Advocates Association and supported by the Cockroach Janta Party, was held amid heavy police deployment. The protesters raised slogans and held placards, calling for Mr. Mishra's resignation and greater accountability.
The protest is the latest fallout of the controversy surrounding the BCI's August 13 order directing State Bar Councils not to enrol the 2026 graduating batch of Hyderabad's NALSAR University of Law. The order was issued after a student campaign regarding recent judicial developments and the invitation extended to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant for the convocation.
Following widespread criticism, the BCI withdrew the order, saying most students were innocent. Chief Justice Kant termed the order "absolutely unnecessary" and upheld the students' right to protest. He also barred any punitive action against NALSAR students or faculty. The episode has raised concerns about the BCI's authority to impose a blanket enrolment freeze on an entire graduating batch.
The Bar Council of India is a statutory body responsible for regulating legal education and the legal profession in the country. It oversees the enrolment of advocates and has disciplinary powers over law colleges and legal practitioners. The controversy has renewed scrutiny of how these powers are exercised, particularly in relation to student activism.
One of the protesters, Advocate Raman Sharma, clarified that the movement was driven by the legal fraternity itself, despite support from the Cockroach Janta Party. "It is fine if the Cockroach Janta Party has supported us—that is well and good... our own fraternity certainly should have thought about it. However, this is strictly a movement by advocates against our own apex body to address the shortcomings within the organisation and press for our legitimate demands," he said.
Questioning Mr. Mishra's long tenure, Mr. Sharma said, "The Chairman has held his position for 14 years; what has he actually done for the legal fraternity... The All India Young Lawyers Association are demanding the BCI Chairman's resignation. We are making the same demand."
Another demonstrator, Advocate Umesh Kumar, held a copy of the Constitution and questioned the Chairman's record on lawyer welfare. He pointed out that crimes against lawyers are a common occurrence and accused Mr. Mishra of leading "political agendas" while remaining silent on issues affecting lawyers.
"Name one thing the BCI Chairman has done for the welfare of law students or lawyers... Lawyers are attacked daily and are being murdered inside police stations. Recently, a senior lawyer died in Hyderabad. Did he issue any official statement regarding that? He remains silent when it comes to our welfare, yet he is always at the forefront of advancing political agendas—often misusing official BCI letters to do so," he said.
Mr. Kumar also highlighted structural issues within the profession. "The issues here concern lawyer welfare, the Advocates Act, stipends, chambers, our well-being, and the need for control over law colleges—especially regarding fake law colleges and degrees. There are claims that 35% to 40% of the people in this profession are fake lawyers," he added.
The protest underscored the growing demands for institutional reforms in the legal sector. At the time of reporting, the BCI had not issued a public response to the resignation demand. The police said the demonstration remained peaceful.
