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Advocate Prashant Bhushan today stated before the Supreme Court that a petition challenging Bar Council of India's running of a law college, while being a regulatory body for law colleges, is in the process of being filed.

The counsel apprised about the same to a bench of CJI Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya bagchi and Justice V Mohana, while the bench was dealing with the plea of EAS Sarma (and others) challenging the validity of the SHANTI Act. 

Bhushan was arguing on the conflict arising on account of the fact that members of the AERB (Atomic Energy Regulatory Board) are appointed on the recommendation of a selection panel formed by the Atomic Energy Commission (which operates nuclear power plants). He contended that due to this conflict, the purpose of having an independent regulatory board is defeated.

Drawing a parallel, he said that BCI is running a law college even though it has regulatory power over law colleges. "Today the Bar Council is running a law college. In fact, we are filing a petition regarding that - that the Bar Council cannot run a law college. That they are regulating these bar colleges and they are running a bar college. Same thing here", Bhushan said.

The remark was seemingly a reference to BCI Trust-run India International University of Legal Education and Research (IIULER), which is based in Goa.

Recently, BCI Chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra, while speaking at the University's orientation event, stated that the National Legal Academy for compulsory training of lawyers, as proposed by the Supreme Court, will be set up at the IIULER. Justice PS Narasimha, whose bench directed the BCI to establish the Academy, attended the event.

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