The Bar Council of India (BCI) warned on Thursday that students graduating from Nalsar University of Law in 2026 would not be enrolled as lawyers. However, the order was subsequently withdrawn after the ‘Cockroach Janata Party’ (CJP) threatened to launch a protest.
Initially, the BCI wrote to the university’s Vice-Chancellor and the Bar Councils of all states, stating that no graduate from Nalsar’s 2026 batch would be enrolled until further orders. This move stemmed from the students’ alleged opposition to inviting Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant as the chief guest at their convocation ceremony.
The letter, signed by BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra, sought a report from the university regarding who had initiated or organised the campaign on campus or mobilised people for it.
The CJP immediately threatened to launch a protest.
CJP founder Abhijit Dipke wrote on X, “What if all the legal cockroaches come together?” While reposting a report that no Nalsar graduate will be enrolled until further orders from the Bar Council of India (BCI), Dipke made this remark.
Dipke’s reaction alluded to the phrase that had sparked the CJP’s inception, “What if all the cockroaches come together?” This is the exact phrase he used originally when sharing CJI Surya Kant’s post, where he called a group of unemployed youth ‘cockroaches’.
The CJI Surya Kant later clarified that his remarks had been misinterpreted. CJP spokesperson Saurav Das also issued a strongly worded statement on X. Das wrote, “The Bar Council of India’s decision to bar students from NALSAR’s 2026 batch from enrolling as lawyers, reportedly taken because they opposed the invitation extended to Chief Justice Surya Kant as the chief guest, is completely unjustified, deeply concerning, and indefensible on the face of it.”
“Students cannot be collectively punished for expressing disagreement regarding a formal invitation. The Cockroach Janata Party condemns this order.”
He further stated, “If Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra does not immediately withdraw this order, all law students, lawyers, senior advocates, and well-intentioned young cockroaches will stage protests outside the Bar Council office and Mishra’s official residence, as well as in their respective states.”
Tagging Manan Kumar Mishra’s account, Saurav Das asserted that the BCI chief would be “held accountable.”
Late Thursday evening, the BCI issued another letter titled: “Reconsideration and modification of instructions contained in letter no. BCI:D:5449/2026 (dated 13.08.2026) regarding NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, including factual verification and the enrolment of students graduating in 2026.”
NALSAR University of Law VC and State Bar Councils
This letter, addressed to the NALSAR University of Law VC and state bar councils, stated: “The Council has today held detailed discussions and deliberations regarding the letter sent by the Bar Council of India Chairman to the Vice-Chancellor of NALSAR University of Law and the secretaries of all state bar councils.”
“After detailed deliberation, the members unanimously opined that, according to the latest report, the majority of NALSAR University of Law students (those graduating in 2026) are innocent and had no intention of being involved in the act of disrespect. “Therefore, the Council modifies the Chairman’s order regarding the ban on the enrolment of NALSAR University of Law students with State Bar Councils. All students will be eligible to enrol with the State Bar Councils of their choice,” it stated.
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