The Supreme Court has ruled that Bar Councils do not have the authority to regulate the conduct of law students before they formally enter the legal profession.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, delivered the ruling on Thursday while hearing a challenge to two controversial notices issued by the Bar Council. Although the notices had already been withdrawn following criticism, the court formally set them aside.
The bench observed that disciplinary action against law students falls within the jurisdiction of their respective educational institutions. Universities and law schools can take appropriate action under their own rules and regulations if students violate institutional norms.
The dispute originated from an incident involving the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR). Some graduating students had opposed a proposal to invite Chief Justice Kant as the chief guest at the institution’s convocation. Following the controversy, the Bar Council had directed that NALSAR’s 2026 graduates would not be registered with any State Bar Council until further orders.
The decision triggered widespread debate over the Bar Council’s jurisdiction and students’ freedom of expression. The Bar Council subsequently withdrew its decision and clarified that the graduates would not be prevented from enrolling as advocates.
Chief Justice Kant had earlier criticised what he described as unnecessary intervention by the Bar Council and stressed that the matter concerned the students and their institution.
Bar Council chairman and BJP MP Manan Kumar Mishra later apologised to the students and supported their right to think independently and express their views.
