Days after Chairman of the Bar Council of India (BCI) Manan Kumar Mishra apologised to law students over a directive to state bar councils not to enrol 2026 graduates of the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR) University of Law, the Bombay Bar Association (BBA) said Mishra’s apology was “belated” to “merely assuage the situation”. In a statement, the association said his August 13 order (now rescinded) barring 2026 graduates was an “abuse” of the BCI Chairperson’s office.

BBA is one of the oldest organisations of lawyers practising before the Bombay High Court (HC).

The lawyers’ body noted that Manan Kumar Mishra’s August 13 communications first barred enrolments, then dropped action against students while retaining the direction to NALSAR for an inquiry. On August 14, Mishra said in a post on X that the BCI had closed proceedings and no further action was required. On August 15, he issued a letter in the “nature of an apology”.

‘No true remorse’: Bar Association

The BBA added that Mishra’s August 15 apology “cannot be considered as an expression of true remorse, since he continues to hold the position of the Chairman despite his conduct, when in the fitness of things, he ought to have already resigned.”

By his conduct, the association said, Mishra has “failed to uphold the dignity of the legal profession, constitutional freedoms and the principles of fairness and natural justice, while occupying the office of BCI Chairperson.”

Further criticising the directive against NALSAR graduates, the association said Manan Mishra’s August 13 letter was a “direct attempt to cause grave prejudice to the professional careers of students of NALSAR (Passing out batch of 2026).”

The BBA said it was “uncalled for”, reflecting an “extreme step” without “regard to the principles governing the right to protest and freedom of speech and expression.”

Story continues below this ad

“A large section of students were condemned unheard,” it added.