Lawyers staged a protest outside the Bar Council of India office on September 3, 2026, demanding the resignation of Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra. The demonstration focused on administrative governance and election procedures within the national regulatory body.
Protesters cited Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra's 14-year tenure as a primary grievance and called for structural reforms in the BCI election mechanism. The demonstration is linked to ongoing tensions regarding the NALSAR University of Law row.
A representative of the protesting lawyers stated that a 14-year tenure is antithetical to democratic representation and demanded immediate structural reform. The specific demands for the election mechanism reform have not been detailed in a formal BCI resolution.
Supporters of the current BCI leadership argue that the tenure is consistent with the Advocates Act, 1961, and that the current administration has successfully navigated national legal education standards. BCI loyalists asserted that continuous leadership provides institutional stability during ongoing reforms in legal education and professional standards.
This protest mirrors the 2022 agitation by various state bar associations against the BCI proposed One Bar, One Vote implementation delays. Similar demands for tenure limits and electoral transparency have surfaced periodically over the past decade across multiple state councils.
Lawyers across India face potential disruptions in BCI-related administrative services, including enrollment and disciplinary proceedings, if the protest escalates into a nationwide strike. State bar chapters are scheduled to review their position on the leadership dispute ahead of the upcoming council meetings.
