Bar Council of India (BCI) Co-Chairman YR Sadasiva Reddy has written to the Chairman of the Bar Council of India, Manan Kumar Mishra, asking him to resign within 15 days of the letter. This is in response to comments made by Mishra, regarding the 2026 batch of NALSAR University.
The controversy ensued after NALSAR University's 2026 batch protested against the invitation of Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant for the university's convocation, which he later refused on grounds of his controversial remarks during a previous hearing. The BCI then directed the State bar councils to refuse enrollment to the 2026 batch of advocates from NALSAR University. This was met by strong opposition from some lawyers and even the CJI, which led to the order being revoked.
According to LiveLaw, Reddy's six-page letter to Mishra levelled serious allegations, including the diversion of Rs 150 crore in Council funds to a private trust allegedly controlled by the BCI chairman, and the appointment of his family members to key positions without a transparent process.
Reddy, in a letter wrote, "This Council has drifted very far from that standard.... I call upon you, in the plainest terms, to tender your resignation from the office of Chairman..."
ALSO READ: Who's Manan Kumar Mishra? All About Bar Council Chief At Centre Of Nalsar Convocation Row
Reddy, who has worked alongside Mishra on the Council for the past decade, alleged that the BCI's existing trust was deliberately rendered inactive, following which a new trust, "BCI Trust PEARL – First," was registered on Sept. 17, 2020, with trustees allegedly hand-picked by Mishra himself.
The letter further claimed that a resolution was subsequently passed to transfer Rs 150 crore of BCI funds, comprising contributions from advocates nationwide, to this trust.
"I know of no provision of the Advocates Act, 1961, which permits the corpus of a statutory regulator to be transferred to a private trust registered by its own Chairman," Reddy wrote.
Reddy also alleged that law colleges seeking approval or renewal from the Bar Council were coerced into making "contributions" to the trust, with demands ranging between Rs 25 lakh and Rs 1 crore, according to the letter cited by LiveLaw.
ALSO READ: CJI Surya Kant Slams Bar Council Over NALSAR Students' Enrollment Freeze
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