Supreme Court: BCI Cannot Regulate Law Students; X Calls It 'A Win For Democracy'

The Supreme Court of India ruled that the Bar Council of India (BCI) lacks statutory authority to regulate law students' conduct, placing disciplinary power solely with educational institutions. The decision, announced Thursday, resolved a dispute involving NALSAR University students who objected to Chief Justice Surya Kant's participation in their 2026 convocation. The court set aside two BCI notifications tied to the controversy and made absolute its earlier order barring punitive action against students or faculty. A bench of Chief Justice Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana held that law students fall outside the BCI's regulatory framework simply by enrolling in a course. The verdict sparked widespread praise on X, with users calling it a win for student rights, freedom of expression, and democracy. Critics accused the BCI of overstepping its authority, while some questioned its attempt to penalize an entire graduating batch for writing a letter.