Bar Council of India (BCI) chairman Manan Kumar Mishra on Saturday said he has the support of two-thirds of the Council’s members, rejecting a demand for his resignation and allegations of financial and administrative irregularities by BCI co-chairman YR Sadasiva Reddy.
“I have not received any letter. I have only seen it on social media. I command the support of two-thirds of members . So long as I command the support of the majority, who is he to seek my resignation? When HT contacted Reddy, he initially refused to comment.
The BCI has members representing 24 State Bar Councils.
Mishra said when asked about the letter. After the contents of the letter were read out to him, he said, “I do not know about the letter,” raising questions about its authenticity.
“He belongs to a rival Congress party and it is evident he is playing dirty party politics. Reddy’s letter alleged that under Mishra, a new trust, BCI Trust PEARL-First, replaced the Bar Council of India Trust registered in September 2020 with persons of his choice. It alleged that a proposal was later moved to transfer around ₹ 150 crore of BCI funds to the new trust.
Because the BCI order on NALSAR was withdrawn, this man has got an opportunity to open his mouth,” Mishra said, he has resorted to making all sorts of false and baseless allegations and just.
The election results of Karnataka Bar Council are out and he did not contest it,” he said. “As of today, he (Reddy) is not a member of BCI as he is not a member of the Karnataka Bar Council.
“I placed my opposition to that resolution on record at the time, as did certain other Members. The letter also alleged nepotism, claiming that institutions run by the BCI and the trust, as well as key administrative positions, involved members of Mishra’s family.
Our objection was overridden,” the letter said. It further alleged that law colleges seeking BCI approval or renewal were asked to make “contributions” to the trust ranging from ₹ 25 lakh to ₹ 1 crore. “The Bar Council of India is not the personal estate of any individual….Every rupee it holds is held in trust,” Reddy said.
