CJP's Saurabh Das questions BCI chairman over Rs 14 crore expenses
Under Manan Kumar Mishra's leadership, the Bar Council of India spent Rs 14 crore on meetings and conferences in just one year.
As soon as Saurabh Das, co-convenor of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), attacked Bar Council of India (BCI) Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra, his tone changed.
CJP co-convenor Saurabh Das posted an ex post attacking Manan Kumar Mishra, saying,
The Bar Council of India, chaired by Manan Kumar Mishra, spent ₹14 crore on meetings and conferences in just one year. They had to retract a highly objectionable order regarding NALSAR students within just an hour. So the question is, where and how are these ₹14 crore being spent? Additionally, ₹12 crore were spent on travel and accommodation. But what has been the outcome? If Mishra can issue such a harsh order against young students, then what is he doing for the welfare of young lawyers and law schools? He has been in this position since 2012 and will remain until 2030. Your time is up, Mr. Mishra!
Not only this, CJP also questioned his past record and demanded his resignation.
However, Manan Kumar Mishra immediately responded to this attack by CJP's Saurabh Das, saying,
I want to tell Abhijit Deepke and Saurabh Das that our interests and theirs are the same—protecting students' rights.
Mishra further stated,
In fact, there was never any intention to harm the interests of students. The decision was taken suddenly, and as soon as it came to the Council's notice, it was halted. The matter was discussed in the Council. All senior members of the Council considered it, and then we completely withdrew the decision. There is no question of any investigation.
Directly addressing CJP leaders, he said that whether it is Abhijit Deepke or Mr. Das, I want to tell them that as far as students' interests are concerned, there is no problem. Protecting students' interests is my responsibility and also the responsibility of the Bar Council of India and its members. Emphasizing that there is no conflict between BCI and CJP on the issue of students' rights, the BCI Chairman said, “If anyone has any confusion or there has been a lack of communication, I want to clarify that students' interests are paramount for us and the Bar Council of India. We have to protect the interests of the country's youth. What Abhijit Deepke wants is what we also want—to protect the interests of the youth. Therefore, there is no conflict of interest here.
Mishra also responded to the allegation by CJP spokesperson Saurabh Das, which claimed that ₹14 crore were spent on meetings and conferences.
The BCI Chairman said,
I do not know where this figure of ₹14 crore has come from. There are no such meetings. The Bar Council of India does organize seminars on various subjects, but there is no such thing as spending ₹14 crore on meetings and conferences. Mishra further said that if there has been any “communication gap,” he is ready to talk to CJP leaders and explain the entire matter.
It is to be noted that BCI had instructed all state bar councils on Thursday not to enroll any graduate of the 2026 batch from NALSAR, Hyderabad, as a lawyer. This directive was issued after some students opposed the proposed participation of Chief Justice Suryakant in the university's convocation. However, following widespread criticism, this order was withdrawn. The roots of this controversy lie in CJI Suryakant's remarks about unemployed youth, in which he also used the term “cockroach” for them. This comment laid the groundwork for the Gen Z movement against the exam paper leak. Following CJI Suryakant's remark, there was a widespread movement across the country, which put the Narendra Modi government on the backfoot, and for the first time in the 12-year history of the BJP government, a minister had to resign.
It is noteworthy that Manan Kumar Mishra is a senior advocate and a Rajya Sabha MP from Bihar. He was nominated for the Rajya Sabha by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He is also the Chairman of the Bar Council of India (BCI), the top regulatory body for lawyers and legal education in the country. His role is central in the current controversy. Mishra, hailing from Gopalganj district in Bihar, completed his B.Sc. (Honours) from Rajendra College, Chapra. He then obtained his LLB degree from Patna Law College. He began his career as a lawyer at Gopalganj Civil Court. Later, in 1982, he started practicing at the Patna High Court and eventually became a senior advocate at the Supreme Court.
Mishra has been leading BCI since November 2014. In 2025, he was elected as the BCI Chairman for a record seventh consecutive time. The term of the Chairman is two years. Besides the legal field, Mishra has also been active in politics. Before joining the BJP, he contested the 2010 Bihar Assembly elections on a Congress ticket. In 2024, the BJP nominated him for the Rajya Sabha from Bihar, where he was elected unopposed.