CJI Surya Kant to Lead NLSIU Convocation on October 17
Chief Justice Surya Kant will preside over the NLSIU convocation after a previous cancellation due to student protests.
CJI Surya Kant will attend the NLSIU convocation on October 17.
The ceremony was rescheduled after a previous cancellation amid student objections.
Students can choose to receive their degrees in person or in absentia.
Chief Justice of India, Surya Kant, is set to preside over the 34th annual convocation of the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) in Bengaluru on October 17. The event will take place from 11 am to 1 pm at the Jnana Jyoti Auditorium, as confirmed by the university in an invitation sent to attendees.
The upcoming convocation follows a controversial cancellation of a previously scheduled ceremony on September 12, which was announced due to 'unavoidable circumstances.' This cancellation was met with significant backlash from over 700 students, alumni, and current attendees who opposed the participation of CJI Kant and Bar Council of India (BCI) Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra, leading to the decision to confer degrees in absentia.
The situation escalated after students at NALSAR University of Law in Hyderabad expressed their discontent regarding CJI Kant's potential attendance at their own convocation. Following this, the BCI directed state bar councils to suspend the enrollment of NALSAR's graduating class, a directive that was quickly retracted. In solidarity, NLSIU students and alumni voiced their concerns, leading to a collective statement against the participation of CJI Kant and Mishra at their ceremony.
In light of these events, CJI Kant met with NLSIU students to address their concerns. A vote was conducted among students regarding their attendance at the convocation with the CJI present, resulting in a majority favoring the arrangement, provided that Mishra would not attend. However, complications arose when students were later asked to extend a public invitation to the CJI, which the graduating class did not support, resulting in the cancellation of the September ceremony.
Following these developments, NLSIU's governing bodies have officially rescheduled the convocation for October 17. Students now have the option to attend the ceremony in person or receive their degrees in absentia, marking a significant resolution to the ongoing tensions surrounding the event.
