Supreme Court rules Bar Council of India lacks authority to discipline law students, protecting their freedom of speech and expression.

Supreme Court rules Bar Council of India lacks authority to discipline law students, protecting their freedom of speech and expression.

The Supreme Court made it clear that the Bar Council of India (BCI) and State Bar Councils do not have authority to initiate disciplinary action against law students.

SC said BCI Chairperson Manan Mishra's position was only for time being until a freshly constituted lawyers' body elects its office-bearers.

The Supreme Court set aside two Bar Council notifications over the Nalsar row, clarifying that the Council has no disciplinary jurisdiction over law students before they enrol as advocates.

NEW DELHI, Sep 3: The Supreme Court on Thursday held that the Bar Council of India (BCI) has no statutory authority to regulate the conduct of law students and set aside two notifications issued by the council against students of Hyderabad’s NALSAR University of Law. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant […]

Mishra had withdrawn the directions within about an hour of issuing them, once they drew public criticism. Even so, the case continued: back on August 14, the bench had already voiced disapproval of the BCI's conduct and issued an interim order shielding NALSAR's students and faculty from any punitive steps by the BCI or state bar bodies. With Thursday's ruling, the Court disposed of the petition altogether, converting that interim protection into a permanent one.