Bar Council That Doesn’t Earn Members' Respect Not a Good Sign for Democracy: Justice Nagarathna

Justice Nagarathna’s remarks at 13th convocation of NLU, Delhi come in the backdrop of BCI chief Mannan Kumar Mishra facing calls for his resignation after he attempted to ban an entire batch of Nalsar University of Law students.

The Wire Staff

bar council that doesn’t earn members respect not a good sign for democracy justice nagarathna

Justice B.V. Nagarathna Photo: PTI /Atul Yadav

New Delhi: Supreme Court Justice B.V. Nagarathna on Saturday (August 29) said that an independent Bar is indispensable to constitutional democracy, and said that when a Bar Council does not earn respect from its members, it is not a good sign for the legal profession.

“The Bar Councils, whether the Central or the States, must introspect on their role and importance in upholding professional ethics, morality and professional competence. When a Bar Council does not earn the respect of its members, it is not a good sign for the legal profession," she was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

Justice Nagarathna’s remarks came at the 13th convocation of National Law University Delhi (NLU) and in the backdrop of Bar Council of India chairman and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Manan Kumar Mishra facing calls for his resignation after he attempted to ban an entire batch of Nalsar University of Law students.

Students of law universities, including Nalsar and NLSIU Bangalore, had demanded an unconditional apology from Mishra for his remarks about them and the action he had sought to take against the graduating batch of 2026, after a section of them opposed inviting Chief Justice of India Surya Kant to their convocation.

The directive to not enrol students was later withdrawn by Mishra.

Justice Nagarathna also said that an independent Bar is not an entitlement of lawyers for their own benefit but because constitutional democracy requires professionals who are independent.

“The independence of the Bar is not an entitlement given to lawyers for their own benefit,” she said.

“It exists because a constitutional democracy requires a body of professionals who can advise, argue, challenge and represent without having to ask the permission of the State, the market, or even their own clients before doing so…do not allow the pursuit of a successful career to make you forget what makes your profession worth preserving in the first place. Guard its independence,” she said.

Justice Nagarathna also said that law is an “office of trust” and said a lawyer “cannot be reduced to a person who sells legal knowledge by the hour.”

This article went live on August thirtieth, two thousand twenty six, at twenty-one minutes past four in the afternoon.

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