BCI Co-Chair Demands Resignation of Manan Mishra Amid NALSAR Controversy

Pressure mounted on Bar Council of India Chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra on Saturday after Co-Chairperson Y.R. Sadasiva Reddy demanded his resignation and called for an independent inquiry into the body’s functioning.

Reddy’s statement followed a series of allegations linked to the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research and questions over Mishra’s extended tenure. The Co-Chairperson said the issues required a transparent probe free from internal influence.

Mishra has led the BCI for several years. Critics have pointed to delays in elections and governance concerns. Supporters argue the continuity has provided stability during a period of regulatory change in legal education and practice.

The controversy has drawn attention from senior advocates and law teachers across India. No formal response from Mishra was immediately available. The BCI regulates legal education and the profession under the Advocates Act.

Separately, political debate continued over the Congress party’s decision to restrict the singing of Vande Mataram to its first two stanzas at party events, prompting a BJP resolution and a counter-question from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge about past practice by senior BJP leaders.

Both developments highlight ongoing institutional and political friction in New Delhi on a day otherwise dominated by international trade and security stories.