441 NALSAR Alumni Condemn Bar Council of India Over Threat to Persecute Students and Faculty

Over 440 alumni from NALSAR University of Law have written an open letter to Bar Council of India (BCI) Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra, condemning the statutory body’s attempt to persecute students and faculty for exercising their right to free speech. The letter, signed by alumni from batches spanning two decades, calls the BCI’s actions “unconstitutional, arbitrary, and inhumane.”

The Letters That Sparked Outrage

On 13 August 2026, the BCI issued two letters—BCI:D:5449/2026 and BCI:D:5450/2026—to NALSAR’s Vice Chancellor demanding an inquiry into students and faculty members who had voiced their opinion about inviting the Chief Justice of India to the university’s convocation. The first letter went further, barring all 2026 graduating NALSAR students from enrolling as advocates. After a swift public backlash, the BCI withdrew both the enrolment ban and the demand for a report, but the alumni argue that the damage had already been done.

A Challenge to Jurisdiction and Fundamental Rights

The alumni contend that the BCI had no legal authority to intervene in internal university matters. “The BCI is not given any powers to institute disciplinary inquiries against students and faculty, or to impose penalties on them, that too without notice or hearing,” the letter states. They emphasize that the BCI’s role under the Advocates Act is limited to promoting legal education and setting standards of such education, not regulating campus speech.

The letter invokes the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution, noting that universities must remain spaces for free thinking. “Voicing dissent is not a criminal offense in India,” the alumni remind the regulator.

Coercive Language and Mental Health Concerns

The alumni take particular issue with the language used in the BCI’s first letter, which characterized student and faculty actions as “groupism,” “dirty politics,” and “instigating and misguiding students.” The letter called for identifying and reporting those involved in drafting, circulating, or coordinating the campaign—actions that the alumni note are all protected under free speech.

“The language of the first letter reflects a predisposition to dominate students and faculty with coercive threats that restrict speech on university campuses, putting tremendous pressure on the mental health of students,” the letter reads.

Key Observations from the Alumni Letter

  • “The BCI letters signal as if the students and faculty were hatching a criminal conspiracy.”
  • “If the BCI has an opinion on the present matter in NALSAR, it should approach it with the spirit of dialogue and discussion, not coercion and domination.”
  • “All these actions are protected under free speech. The BCI letters signal as if the students and faculty were hatching a criminal conspiracy.”

A Call for Reflection

While the BCI has withdrawn its initial threats, the alumni urge the regulator to reflect on its approach. “We hope that the current events will initiate reflections within the BCI on how it should approach students and legal education,” the letter concludes. The incident raises broader questions about the limits of regulatory power and the protection of free speech in Indian universities, particularly within legal education institutions that aim to uphold the rule of law.