Bar Council Chairman Mishra faces fresh heat as CJP demands resignation over student row

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has turned its sights on Bar Council of India (BCI) Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra, demanding his immediate resignation. This move follows a series of controversial decisions regarding graduating law students that have sent shockwaves through the legal community.

Saurav Das, the CJP’s chief spokesperson, issued a "protest alert" on Wednesday, August 19. He announced that "legal cockroaches" will gather to agitate against Mishra at 10 am on Thursday, August 20. This escalation is not a sudden whim. It follows the CJP’s recent 36-day protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar over NEET examination irregularities, which concluded on July 25 only after the Union Education Minister stepped down. The party itself was born out of controversy, formed after a remark by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) was withdrawn following public outcry.

Escalating demands for accountability

The current firestorm began at NALSAR University of Law, where students opposed inviting CJI Surya Kant to their convocation. Mishra responded by initially ordering state bar councils to block the enrollment of these graduating students as advocates. Though the BCI Chairman later reversed this order, the damage was done.

Das stated that the upcoming protest, called by the All India Young Advocates Association, "seeks accountability and sets high standards for conduct in office". The CJP is not alone in its frustration. On Tuesday, the Bombay Bar Association also called for Mishra's exit. Students from other prestigious institutions, such as NLSIU Bengaluru, have joined the chorus, rejecting the presence of both the BCI Chairman and the CJI at their own ceremonies.

A chairman’s apology under fire

Mishra attempted to calm the situation with an apology issued on Independence Day. He stated, "If anything connected with the present controversy, any of my words, or letter, has hurt the feelings of our law students, I sincerely regret and apologise for the same". He added that "an expression of regret is not a matter of prestige or ego" but an acknowledgment that student concerns matter.

Despite his claims that the "vast majority" of students were innocent and should not suffer, the backlash has remained fierce. Even the CJI, Surya Kant, sharply criticized the BCI’s interference, noting the dispute was a "dialogue between students and me". For the CJP and its supporters, these apologies are seen as too little, too late. They argue that the head of the BCI must be held to a higher standard, especially given the significant role today’s law students will play as the "advocates, senior advocates, teachers, scholars and judges" of tomorrow.