Unrest stirs up Legal Community against New BCI Directions

The legal community in India is in uproar over a recent notification issued by the Bar Council of India (BCI) on September 24, 2024. The notification mandates criminal background checks, declarations regarding simultaneous degree programs, employment status, attendance compliance, and the installation of CCTV cameras in all centers of legal education. Lawyers, law teachers, and students have appealed to the BCI to withdraw the directions, citing concerns over their constitutionality and practicality. The legal fraternity argues that the measures are arbitrary, lack transparency, and violate Article 14 of the Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law.