NALSAR to decide if BCI-sought inquiry into student protest is constitutional

Hyderabad: NALSAR University of Law will consult its Executive Council from Friday to determine whether the Bar Council of India's (BCI) request for an inquiry report into an alleged campaign against Chief Justice of India Surya Kant is constitutionally valid, the university said on Thursday.

In a press release, Vice-Chancellor Srikrishna Deva Rao said the university must consider whether conducting such an inquiry would be a constitutional exercise of its powers. The matter will be placed before the Executive Council under the university's governance regulations.

The development follows a letter from the BCI on Thursday that initially said it would disallow the enrolment of all graduating students of the B.A., LL.B. (Hons) 2026 batch. A subsequent letter rescinded that directive. Both letters, however, sought an inquiry report from the Vice-Chancellor.

The inquiry pertains to a demand by approximately 450 students, who had written to the university in July, asking that Chief Justice Surya Kant be reconsidered as the chief guest for the 2026 convocation. The students' emails, first sent on July 23 and later joined by junior batches, did not receive an acknowledgement or response from the university, according to reports.

The matter gained public attention after it was first reported by The Hindu on August 9. The BCI's response followed four days later.

In his statement, Mr. Srikrishna Deva Rao said the BCI had been informed of the university's governance regulations, and that further communication would be shared once the Executive Council consultation is completed. The university's decision will hinge on whether the inquiry falls within its constitutional and regulatory mandate.

Legal experts note that the BCI, as a statutory body regulating legal education and the legal profession, has powers to issue directions to law universities. However, the scope of those powers and their interplay with a university's autonomy under its own governing laws remains a legal question. The NALSAR Executive Council's assessment could set a precedent for similar conflicts between regulatory bodies and educational institutions.

The council's consultation begins on August 14, and its outcome is awaited by students, faculty, and the legal community.