BCI Co-Chairman Demands Chairman Mishra Resign Over Governance Allegations

On August 22, 2026, senior advocate Y.R. Sadasiva Reddy, identified as the Bar Council of India's co-chairman, publicly demanded the immediate resignation of BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra. In a six-page letter sent Saturday, Reddy accused Mishra of mismanagement, nepotism, and fund diversion, asserting the legal profession's regulator has been damaged under his leadership. The demand escalates a conflict within India's top legal regulatory body, centered on allegations of autocratic governance and financial irregularities.

A primary catalyst for the demand was a directive Mishra issued on August 13, instructing state bar councils not to enrol the 2026 graduating batch of NALSAR University of Law in Hyderabad. The move was tied to a student campaign opposing Chief Justice Surya Kant's invitation to the university's convocation. Mishra later withdrew the circular, stating the inquiry concluded students had no role in any disturbance. In his letter, Reddy criticized the initial directive as an overreach of authority. He stated the action was taken without material placed before the BCI, without Council deliberation, and without any resolution. Reddy emphasized, "The office of...