- The Bar Council of India (BCI) issued an order barring the enrolment of students of the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research, Andhra Pradesh (NALSAR).
- At its national council meeting on August 16, the All India Lawyers Union (AILU) demanded the resignation of BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra over the controversial order.
- AILU president Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya stated that the BCI Chairman ought to have resigned, showing respect for the chair, instead of merely retracting his statement or issuing an apology.
- The Union also demanded the withdrawal of cases registered against protesters who had participated in the recent agitations over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination, and urged the government to stop monitoring and harassing young people for expressing dissent on social media.
- The AILU sought an amendment to the Advocates’ Welfare Fund Act, 2001, to provide a minimum death-cum-retirement benefit of ₹25 lakh and enhance the medical benefit to ₹5 lakh, and also demanded a monthly stipend of ₹10,000 for junior lawyers for a minimum period of five years.
- The Union stated that the benefits provided under the Welfare Fund had not kept pace with the rising cost of living, medical expenses, and other economic realities faced by lawyers in the event of retirement, death, or disability.
- The Union further said the BCI had issued an order to alter the strength of State Bar Councils, which was later set aside by the Supreme Court; it opined that the BCI was not authorised to make such a change and that any alteration should have been brought through the legislative process rather than an administrative circular.
- Such decisions taken by the Chairman without the requisite authority were another reason for demanding his resignation, the Union said.
The All India Lawyers Union (AILU) has demanded the resignation of Bar Council of India (BCI) Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra over a controversial order that barred students from the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR) from enrolment. This demand was made during AILU's national council meeting on August 16.
AILU president Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya emphasized that Mishra should have resigned to show respect for his position, rather than retracting his statement or issuing an apology. He stated, “The BCI Chairman ought to have resigned, showing respect for the chair.”
In addition to the resignation demand, the Union called for the withdrawal of cases against protesters involved in recent agitations regarding alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination. They also urged the government to cease monitoring and harassing young people expressing dissent on social media.
The AILU proposed amendments to the Advocates’ Welfare Fund Act, 2001, advocating for a minimum death-cum-retirement benefit of ₹25 lakh and an increase in medical benefits to ₹5 lakh. Furthermore, they requested a monthly stipend of ₹10,000 for junior lawyers for a minimum of five years, citing that current benefits have not kept pace with rising living costs and economic realities.
The Union criticized the BCI for altering the strength of State Bar Councils without proper authority, a decision later set aside by the Supreme Court. They argued that such changes should have been legislated rather than made through administrative circulars, further justifying their call for Mishra's resignation.
“AILU president Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya said the chairman should have resigned 'showing respect for the chair' rather than retracting or apologizing. The union also demanded withdrawal of cases against NEET-UG protesters and a ₹10,000 monthly stipend for junior lawyers.”
