The Supreme Court, upon oral mentioning, issued notice to the Bar Council of India (BCI) and further restrained the regulatory body from taking any coercive steps against the students or faculty of NALSAR University of Law by the BCI or any State Bar Council in relation to the controversy.

Earlier on Thursday, the BCI issued a circular directing that all state bar councils shall not enroll any 2026 graduate of NALSAR University of Law as an advocate until further orders and had sought a report identifying those responsible. However, within hours after an uproar on social media, the BCI reversed this order.

The apex statutory body for lawyers said a final decision in the matter would be taken on August 19 after considering the material placed before it.

The Bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana ordered, "On the oral mentioning, the matter is taken on board. Issue notice returnable...Meanwhile, no punitive action shall be taken against the students or faculty of NALSAR at the instance of BCI or any State Bar Council."


Senior Advocate K Parmeshwar appeared on behalf of the Petitioners.

Parmeshwar submitted that although reports indicated the BCI had subsequently withdrawn the contentious letters, the underlying cause of action survived.

It was contended that the regulatory body lacked jurisdiction to interfere in the internal affairs or free expression of university students and faculty, and that its actions exerted an impermissible chilling effect on the right to peaceful protest and freedom of speech.

Senior Counsel submitted, "This concerns two letters issued by the Bar Council of India yesterday taking action against students at NALSAR, My Lords. Admittedly, we have seen some videos that have been circulated saying those actions seem to have been withdrawn, but the cause of action survives against the Bar Council because our prayer...this is a very serious issue. The Bar Council cannot have a chilling effect."

CJI Kant said, "BCI is unnecessarily taking action."

Counsel submitted that the Bar Council has no jurisdiction, no business regarding what happens in a university.

He submitted, "We're seriously concerned about the functioning of the Bar Council as well. It can't be that 5:00 one letter is uploaded, at 7:00 another letter is uploaded. We want to know, genuinely, whether the Bar Council has met... Statutory functionaries have met, My Lords. There is a member from Kerala who says he was never informed of the decision..."

The Court remarked that students possess a protected right to lawfully and peacefully raise their voice, irrespective of whether their stance is considered right or wrong, and that regulatory bodies must demonstrate large-heartedness rather than hasty punitive measures.

Chief Justice Kant then added, "We are with you..this is absolutely uncalled for. BCI has no, nothing to do with it. The students might have written a letter to me. It's a dialogue between students and me. Who are they to unnecessarily... raising an issue? And an issue which is already...Absolutely uncalled for...See, I myself, in student days, I have been actively involved in student activities. So, it does not mean that students...even if they are wrong, assuming, still they have a right to protest. Who can stop them? Why? so long as they are lawful and peaceful, they are raising a voice; it must be heard, and it must be allowed."

During the mentioning, counsel appearing on behalf of the Bar Council of India submitted that the offending circulars stood withdrawn in respect of the institution. However, acknowledging the seriousness of the procedural issues raised—including the public dissemination of students' names on social media platforms—the Bench formally took the matter on board, issued notice, and directed the BCI to file its counter-affidavit within a period of two weeks.

Accordingly, the Court dictated an interim order directing that no punitive, civil, or criminal action shall be initiated or taken against the students or faculty of NALSAR by the BCI or any State Bar Council in connection with the incidents referenced in the subject letters.

The NALSAR University of Law on Thursday said it will place the Bar Council of India's request for an inquiry into the persons involved in objecting to inviting CJI Surya Kant to the institution's convocation before its Executive Council. The Executive Council is the university's highest decision-making body.

The university's Vice-Chancellor Srikrishna Deva Rao said in a statement late on Thursday that they received a letter earlier in the day from the Bar Council of India (BCI) disallowing the enrollment of all the graduating BA and LLB (Hons) students from the 2026 batch and seeking an inquiry report on persons involved in the recent developments concerning the upcoming convocation.

The initial letter was followed by another one which reversed the directive to the state bar councils disallowing the enrollment of the graduating students, he said.

A section of students of Hyderabad-based NALSAR University had (in July this year) written to the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar and professors of the institution, opposing any proposal to invite the CJI as chief guest to the varsity's convocation, the date of which is yet to be announced.

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