Bar Council of India (BCI) chairman Mannan Kumar Mishra has found focus amid the ongoing controversy linked to the NALSAR University convocation for which Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant was invited as chief guest.
Mishra recently became target of the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) “isteefa do” post amid the row with the students of NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad.
The Bar Council had frozen the enrolment of the entire 2026 graduating batch, a move retracted hours later. The BCI decided to close all proceedings against the batch of NALSAR University after concluding that the students had no role in any disruption linked to CJI Surya Kant's proposed participation in the university's convocation.
Deep Dive
What prompted the Bar Council of India to freeze the enrolment of NALSAR's 2026 graduating batch?
Why did the Bar Council of India retract its decision to freeze enrolment for NALSAR students?
How did Manan Kumar Mishra respond to the backlash from the Cockroach Janta Party regarding the NALSAR controversy?
Mishra announced the decision through on X post on Thursday after the move sparked big backlash on social media, including from the CJP, with Abhijeet Dipke asking if it was time for “Mannan Mishra isteefa do”.
Who is Manan Kumar Mishra?
Manan Kumar Mishra is a senior advocate and a Rajya Sabha MP from Bihar, nominated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He is also the Chairman of the Bar Council of India, the country's top legal regulatory body, a role central to the current controversy.
{{/usCountry}}Manan Kumar Mishra is a senior advocate and a Rajya Sabha MP from Bihar, nominated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He is also the Chairman of the Bar Council of India, the country's top legal regulatory body, a role central to the current controversy.
{{/usCountry}}A native of Gopalganj district in Bihar, Mishra completed his BSc (Honours) from Rajendra College, Chapra, before earning his LLB degree from Patna Law College.
He began practising as a lawyer at the Gopalganj Civil Court before moving to the Patna high court in 1982. Later, he became a senior advocate in the Supreme Court.
Mishra has led the BCI since November 2014 and was re-elected as its chairman for a record seventh consecutive term in 2025. The chairman is elected for a term of two years.
Apart from his legal career, Mishra has also been active in politics. He contested the 2010 Bihar Assembly election on a Congress ticket before joining the BJP. In 2024, the BJP nominated him to the Rajya Sabha from Bihar, where he was elected unopposed.
The NALSAR controversy
The controversy began after reports of a campaign by some NALSAR students opposing CJI Surya Kant's participation in the university's convocation.
Reacting to the reports, the BCI had directed all State Bar Councils not to enrol any student from NALSAR's 2026 graduating batch until further orders. It also sought a detailed inquiry from the university to identify those who organised or participated in the campaign.
The Council argued that disrespect towards the country's highest judicial office was inconsistent with the values expected from future lawyers.
CJP enters the chat
Following the controversy, leaders of the CJP, including founder Abhijeet Dipke and Saurabh Das, criticised Mannan Mishra on social media.
Saurabh Das questioned why students were being threatened with punishment for expressing dissent and accused the BCI chief of calling them "anti-national forces." He also questioned Mishra's tenure as BCI chairman, alleging that the Council had spent nearly ₹14 crore on meetings and conferences in one year.
Abhijeet Dipke also posted on X, mulling if Mishra's resignation should be demanded, writing, “Time for Manan Mishra isteefa do?”
BCI changes stance
Soon after the criticism, the BCI reconsidered its decision. It withdrew the blanket enrolment ban, saying that most students were innocent and had no role in the reported campaign.
The Council, however, initially continued with its proposed inquiry into those allegedly involved.
Mannan Mishra later announced that even those proceedings had been closed after the BCI found that the graduating batch had no involvement in any disturbance.
He also advised students to express their views respectfully while maintaining the dignity of constitutional institutions.
CJP mocks U-turn
The CJP mocked BCI and its chairman over the U-turn, suggesting that it made the authorities pull an all-nighter. CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka reacted to Mishra's post, saying, “CJP ne night out padwa diya. Beijjati hui wo alag. [CJP made them pull an all-nighter, on top of it the humiliation]”.
Another CJP spokesperson, Saurav Das, argued that the BCI's earlier communication had not been fully withdrawn, citing the portion relating to an inquiry and the identification of students.
"Mr Mishra, the order has NOT been fully withdrawn. The part which seeks names of the students and orders for an 'inquiry' against them for their peaceful dissent still stands, as per your own new letter," Das said.
He demanded that the BCI withdraw the communication in full and guarantee that no action would be taken against NALSAR students for their dissent. "No student at NALSAR should face any inquiry or witch hunt for their democratic dissent against the Chief Justice of India," Das said.
Das also said the CJP's call for protests outside the BCI and Mishra's official residence would continue until the demand was met.
In a message to CJP's Dipke and Das on Friday, Manan Kumar Mishra told them that the BCI's interests are the same as theirs: "to protect the rights of the students."
"The Bar Council of India aims to protect the interests of the youth of India. I want to communicate to Abhijeet Dipke and Das (Sourav Das) that our interests are the same as theirs, to protect the rights of the students," Mishra said, speaking to ANI news agency.