Bar Council of India (BCI) chairman Manan Kumar Mishra on Saturday apologised to law students amid the controversy surrounding NALSAR University of Law's convocation, saying he regretted if his words or communications had hurt students' feelings.
The apology came a day after Chief Justice of India Surya Kant strongly criticised the BCI's intervention in the controversy and said the regulatory body had "no business" interfering in the matter. The Supreme Court also restrained the BCI and state bar councils from taking punitive or criminal action against students and faculty members in connection with the row.
In an Independence Day letter addressed to his "young friends", Mishra acknowledged that developments over the past few days had caused concern and anguish among a section of the student community.
"If anything connected with the present controversy, any of my words, or letter, has hurt the feelings of our law students, I sincerely regret and apologise for the same," Mishra said.
He added that expressing regret should not become a question of prestige or ego and said students' feelings and concerns deserved recognition.
Mishra also acknowledged the importance of dissent in a democracy, saying peaceful disagreement, questioning and protest were important features of a constitutional system and students must remain free to express their views.
The BCI chairman said law students, particularly those studying at National Law Universities and other leading legal education institutions, were among the country's most informed young citizens and did not need others to decide their views for them.
The controversy erupted after a section of NALSAR students objected to CJI Surya Kant's participation in the university's 2026 convocation.
On August 13, the BCI directed all state bar councils not to enrol graduates of NALSAR's entire 2026 batch as advocates until further orders. The sweeping directive triggered criticism from students, alumni and sections of the legal fraternity.
The council withdrew the enrolment freeze within hours but initially retained an inquiry into allegations that some teachers and outsiders had instigated or misled the students. Mishra subsequently announced that proceedings against the entire graduating batch were being closed.
NALSAR's Student Bar Council later demanded a public apology from Mishra over the BCI's handling of the episode. Students and alumni of the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru, also sought an apology, while students there objected to the participation of Mishra and the CJI at their convocation.
The Supreme Court intervened in the matter on Friday, with the CJI asserting that students had a right to protest as long as their actions remained peaceful and lawful. The court made it clear that no coercive action should be taken against students or faculty over the controversy.
In his letter, Mishra also addressed the issue of convocations, describing them as important occasions marking years of hard work and a significant transition in students' lives. He said the ultimate decision on whether to participate in such ceremonies must remain with the students themselves.