Bar Council drops inquiry against NALSAR students who opposed invite to CJI for convocation

The Bar Council of India on Thursday night dropped all proceedings against students of the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research graduating in 2026 who had opposed the participation of Chief Justice Surya Kant in the university’s convocation.

Earlier in the day, the council had announced that students from the graduating batch would not be enrolled as advocates for the campaign against the chief justice. It withdrew the decision a few hours later.

However, the council said that it had sought an inquiry report from the university identifying those who were “principally instrumental” in opposing Kant’s participation in the convocation.

On Thursday night, Bar Council Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra said that all proceedings against the students would be closed “after considering the representations and reactions of senior advocates, learned members of the Bar, law students and public-spirited citizens, and being satisfied that the 2026 batch of NALSAR, Hyderabad, had no role in any disturbance or movement”.

The council’s earlier directives had drawn criticism from the Cockroach Janta Party political campaign, which described them as “grossly disproportionate”. It warned of protests by law students and advocates if the directives were not withdrawn.

After considering the representations and reactions of Senior Advocates, learned members of the Bar, law students and public spirited citizens, and...

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