Lawyers Plan Demonstration in Delhi Demanding Resignation of BCI Chairman
NEW DELHI — The Cockroach Janta Party has backed a protest called by the All India Young Advocates Association in New Delhi, seeking accountability and the resignation of Bar Council of India Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra.
The demonstration, scheduled for Thursday at 10 a.m., follows a controversy surrounding a now-withdrawn BCI directive concerning graduating students of NALSAR University of Law.
The dispute began after several NALSAR students wrote to the university administration opposing a proposal to invite Chief Justice of India Surya Kant as the chief guest for their convocation. In response, the BCI initially instructed state bar councils not to enrol students from NALSAR's current graduating batch as advocates.
Mishra stated that the council was reviewing allegations regarding a campaign against the CJI's participation and had sought a report identifying those responsible. The directive was withdrawn within hours following criticism from legal professionals. A modified order later clarified that most students were innocent and should not face penalties for the alleged misconduct of a few.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke invited lawyers to join Thursday's demonstration. CJP national spokesperson Saurav Das supported the call, stating that the protest aims to seek accountability and maintain high standards of conduct in office, while noting that the Bombay Bar Association had also sought Mishra's resignation. CJP legal affairs head Ratna Singh similarly backed the peaceful demonstration.
The protest follows a formal apology issued by Mishra on Independence Day, in which he expressed regret if his communication had hurt law students' feelings. Mishra maintained that peaceful protest and disagreement are part of a constitutional democracy and urged students to evaluate further facts.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant also criticised the BCI's initial action, describing the situation as a dialogue between students and himself. The NALSAR Student Bar Council subsequently demanded a public apology from Mishra, while students and alumni from NLSIU, Bengaluru, issued a joint statement objecting to the presence of both the BCI chairman and the CJI at their convocation.
