Bar Council of India (BCI) Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra faces a formal resignation demand raised during a General Council meeting held at the BCI office, stemming from mounting governance disputes, financial transparency concerns, and a contentious directive involving law graduates.
Resignation Demand Raised at General Council Meeting
According to the primary source, BCI member Manoj Kumar Narendran from Kerala directly called for Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra’s resignation during the General Council meeting. Advocate Srinath Tripathi, a BCI member from Uttar Pradesh, backed the call for the Chairman to step down. Meanwhile, BCI Co-Chairman and Senior Advocate Sadasiva Reddy, who did not attend the meeting, separately submitted a letter seeking Mishra’s resignation. This comes after BCI Co-Chairman and Senior Advocate Y.R. Sadasiva Reddy also addressed a letter to Mishra, demanding his resignation.
Governance Concerns and Tenure Length
In his subsequent letter to Mishra, Narendran expressed deep anguish over the statutory body’s current functioning, noting that Mishra has served as BCI chairman for more than 14 years. Narendran characterized such prolonged leadership by a single individual as “unhealthy” for an institution founded on democratic representation and collective responsibility. Narendran also questioned the legality of the rule amendment that extended the Chairman’s tenure to five years, arguing that altering rules to facilitate an individual’s continuance undermines transparency and requires proper notice and full deliberation by the General Council.
The NALSAR Controversy and Student Protests
The internal dispute follows a widely discussed controversy involving NALSAR. Narendran called the episode the final straw in Mishra’s continued illegal activities, stating that the BCI chairman has no authority under the Advocates Act to create additional disqualifications. Narendran argued that an unconditional withdrawal of the directions or apology can’t absolve the responsibility for having issued a sweeping direction capable of jeopardizing an entire batch of law graduates. Furthermore, Narendran criticized Mishra’s characterization of protesting students as “anti-social and anti-national forces” acting under the influence of “foreign adversaries”.
Financial Management and Trust Fund Allegations
Outlook and Expected Next Steps
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