Lawyers stage a protest against the Chairman of Bar Council of India outside BCI office in New Delhi on August 20, 2026.
| Photo Credit: Shashi Shekhar Kashyap
Days after the NALSAR students controversy, 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.Heavy police presence was deployed near the BCI office in view of the demonstration, which was called by the All India Young Advocates Association and supported by the Cockroach Janta Party.The protestors raised slogans and held placards, asking for Mr. resignation and accountability.The protest began after the Bar Council of India (BCI) on August 13 ordered State Bar Councils not to enrol Hyderabad's NALSAR varsity's 2026 graduating batch, following a student campaign over recent judicial developments and the invitation to CJI Surya Kant to their convocation.After criticism, the BCI later withdrew the proceedings, saying most students were innocent. CJI Kant subsequently termed the BCI order "absolutely unnecessary", and upheld the students' right to protest and barred punitive action against NALSAR students or faculty. The episode also raised concerns over the BCI's power to impose a blanket enrolment freeze on an entire graduating batch.
