NALSAR to Place BCI Probe Directives Before Executive Council

NALSAR University of Law will place the latest directions issued by the Bar Council of India (BCI) before its Executive Council for consideration, Vice-Chancellor Professor Srikrishna Deva Rao said on Thursday.

The development follows two communications received by the university from the BCI concerning the controversy over inviting Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant as the chief guest for NALSAR’s upcoming convocation.

According to the Vice-Chancellor, the first communication directed state Bar Councils not to enrol students from NALSAR’s 2026 BA LLB batch as advocates. The BCI also sought an inquiry into the individuals allegedly responsible for opposing the proposal to invite the CJI and asked the university to submit a report on the matter.

The BCI subsequently issued another communication withdrawing the direction to halt the enrolment of students from the 2026 batch. However, its request for an inquiry into the persons involved in the developments surrounding the proposed invitation to the CJI remains in place, Rao said.

The Vice-Chancellor said the university would first examine the BCI’s directions in the light of NALSAR’s governing regulations and constitutional considerations. The question of whether the proposed inquiry is legally and institutionally permissible will be placed before the Executive Council, the university’s highest decision-making body.

Rao said the university would communicate its decision to the BCI after completing consultations with the Executive Council.

The issue gained attention on Thursday after the BCI temporarily instructed all state Bar Councils to withhold enrolment of NALSAR’s 2026 graduates as advocates until further directions. Following intense discussion on social media, the BCI withdrew the enrolment-related directive within hours. It said a final decision would be taken on August 19 after examining the material placed before it.

The controversy originated in July, when a group of NALSAR students wrote to the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar and faculty members opposing the proposal to invite the CJI as the chief guest for the forthcoming convocation. The university has not yet announced the date of the convocation.