Legal cockroaches unite: CJP joins protest seeking BCI chief's exit over NALSAR row

The All India Young Advocates Association has called a protest against BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra, with CJP spokesperson Saurav Das backing the demonstration and supporting the demand for his resignation.

In Short

• Young Advocates Association calls protest against Bar Council chief
• CJP backs protest demanding BCI Chairman Manan Mishra's resignation
• Party seeks accountability and high standards of conduct in office

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has backed a protest seeking the resignation of Bar Council of India (BCI) Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra, amid continuing criticism over the BCI’s now-withdrawn order barring enrolment of 2026 graduating batch of NALSAR University of Law as advocates.

The protest has been called by the All India Young Advocates Association and is scheduled for Thursday at 10 am.

The BCI had directed all State Bar Councils not to enrol students from NALSAR’s 2026 graduating batch after a section of students opposed Chief Justice of India Surya Kant attending the university’s convocation. The CJI’s remarks on unemployed young Indians, including his reference to them as "cockroaches", had earlier triggered a massive student mobilisation under the banner of the CJP.

CJP spokesperson Saurav Das said on X that "legal cockroaches" would protest against Mishra, who is also a BJP Rajya Sabha MP, and demand his resignation.

"It seems the Legal Cockroaches have united and will be protesting against the Chairman of the Bar Council of India tomorrow at 10 AM and demanding his resignation. The protest has been called by the All India Young Advocates Association. I support any form of peaceful protest that seeks accountability and sets high standards for conduct in office," Das said.

Das also pointed to the Bombay Bar Association’s call for Mishra’s resignation.

The protest comes days after the BCI issued, modified and eventually withdrew the directive to state units. The move triggered widespread criticism from sections of the legal fraternity and was withdrawn within hours.

In its initial communication, the BCI said it was examining allegations concerning a campaign against the CJI’s participation in the convocation and had sought details of those involved. It subsequently directed State Bar Councils not to enrol the graduating batch.

The BCI later modified its position, saying the "vast majority" of students were innocent and should not be made to suffer for the alleged misconduct of a few. The directive was eventually withdrawn following the backlash.

CJI Surya Kant sharply criticised the BCI chairman's intervention, saying the matter was one of "dialogue between students and me".

The NALSAR Student Bar Council subsequently sought a public apology from Mishra. Students and alumni of the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru, also issued a joint statement seeking an apology and opposing the presence of both Mishra and the CJI at their convocation.

Mishra later apologised to law students in a statement issued on Independence Day. He said he regretted any words or communication that may have hurt the feelings of students and maintained that expressing regret was an acknowledgement that their concerns mattered.

He also said students should be free to decide whether to attend or abstain from convocations and urged that the controversy not acquire a "political or extraneous colour through outside influence”.

Despite the apology and withdrawal of the controversial directive, the CJP has continued to demand Mishra’s resignation and called for protests by what it termed "legal cockroaches" outside his residence and the BCI office.

- Ends