Supreme Court: Bar councils lack power over law students before enrollment

India's Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the Bar Council of India and state bar councils lack the authority to take disciplinary action against law students before they are enrolled as advocates, clarifying that student conduct falls under their educational institutions' jurisdiction. The three-judge bench, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, stated the Advocates Act of 1961 grants no power to bar councils over students' behavior, with disciplinary authority beginning only after enrollment as an advocate. Complaints against students must be handled by their institutions' rules. The ruling stemmed from a case involving NALSAR University students who opposed inviting the Chief Justice to convocation, prompting a Bar Council order barring their enrollment, which was later withdrawn. The court deemed the council's guidelines legally invalid while confirming it can review qualifications when students apply for enrollment.