Supreme Court Limits BCI Chief’s Tenure to Pro Tem Status
Public Lokpal
September 02, 2026
Supreme Court Limits BCI Chief’s Tenure to Pro Tem Status
The Supreme Court ruled that Bar Council of India Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra’s continuation in office is strictly a temporary arrangement, declining to allow extensions through 2030.
Addressing petitions challenging notifications that stretched office-bearer terms past the statutory two-year limit, the bench mandated that the Attorney General and Solicitor General must be associated with all BCI policy decisions until fresh elections are conducted.
The court questioned the validity of administrative extensions bypassing standard rules and ordered an expedited schedule to reconstitute the apex lawyers' body through proper democratic elections.
This judicial intervention ensures rigorous oversight over the statutory council's governance and restores regular electoral accountability for its leadership positions.