The Supreme Court of India has ordered that Attorney General (AG) R. Venkataramani and Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta actively participate in every policy decision taken by the Bar Council of India (BCI), addressing allegations of gross illegalities in the leadership and functioning of the body.

BCI Reconstitution Deferred Pending State Elections

A Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V. Mohana passed the directions while hearing a batch of petitions challenging the continuous extension of Senior Advocate Manan Kumar Mishra as Chairperson of the BCI and the creation of a new BCI trust (PEARL Trust).

Key Directions Issued by the Apex Court

  • Active Participation of Law Officers: Both the Attorney General for India and Solicitor General for India shall be actively associated with every policy decision taken by the Bar Council of India to ensure transparency and accountability.
  • Two-Week Timeline for State Bar Representatives: Newly constituted State Bar Councils were directed to complete their co-option process and elect their statutorily prescribed representatives to the BCI within two weeks of notification.
  • Reconstitution Post Compliance: The Court ruled that the issue of total reconstitution of the BCI under Section 4 of the Advocates Act, 1961 will be considered once all State Bar Councils file compliance reports.

The interim directions aim to enforce institutional oversight over the BCI while facilitating the democratic statutory election process across all state-level Bar bodies.