Having occupied the office of the Chairman of the Bar Council of India (BCI) continuously for more than a decade, Manan Kumar Mishra is facing multiple calls to demit the post.A petition filed by advocate Yogamaya MG in the Supreme Court has challenged his prolonged tenure and sought his removal from the post of the Chairman of the BCI, which regulates the legal profession and legal education in India.“A national institution representing the entire legal profession should not permit its highest office to remain concentrated indefinitely in one individual or a narrow regional grouping,” the petition stated.Senior advocate Mishra, who is also a BJP Rajya Sabha MP from Bihar, was first elected as BCI Chairman in 2012. After briefly demitting the office in 2014, he returned as Chairman in November that year and has remained the BCI chief since then.Accusing Mishra of financial irregularities, questionable appointments and decisions taken without the Council’s approval, BCI co-Chairman YR Sadasiva Reddy on Friday demanded Mishra’s resignation, saying “the Bar deserves better”.In a six-page letter addressed to Mishra, Reddy sought a special meeting of the BCI to consider the allegations. “…I call upon you, in the plainest terms, to tender your resignation from the office of Chairman… forthwith,” Reddy wrote.Noting that Mishra has remained BCI’s Chairman for more than 14 years, Narendran said such prolonged leadership by a single individual was “unhealthy” for a statutory institution founded on democratic representation, collective responsibility and institutional decision-making.“Your continuance as Chairman has, in my considered view, become incompatible with the urgent need to restore confidence in the democratic, independent, transparent and statutory functioning of the Bar Council of India,” Narendran said.During a General Council meeting of the apex bar body held at the BCI office here on Friday, BCI member Manoj Kumar Narendran from Kerala demanded Mishra’s resignation. BCI member from Uttar Pradesh Srinath Tripathi backed the call for Mishra’s resignation.Contending that Rule 12(2) of the BCI prescribes a two-year term for the Chairman and Vice-Chairman, or until cessation of membership, whichever is earlier, petitioner Yogamaya urged the top court to set up an independent committee headed by a former judge of the Supreme Court or a former Chief Justice of a High Court which could be assisted by an auditor nominated by the CAG, along with financial and technical experts to look into the affairs of the BCI.The petition challenged April 21, 2025, Gazette notification that extends Mishra’s tenure until 2030 and contends that an administrative notification cannot override the statutory framework governing the BCI.“Although Rule 12(2) prescribes two-year tenure, no meaningful restriction exists upon repeated re-election. Consequently, the office has remained with the same individual for nearly twelve years,” the petitioner submitted.Mishra, however, rejected calls for his resignation, saying he was elected to the post and represented around 25 lakh lawyers across the country. “I have served as the Chairman of the Bar Council of India for 12 to 14 years because I was elected. Manan Mishra represents 25 lakh lawyers; he will not step down simply,” Mishra said on Friday.On Saturday, he postponed to Monday a press conference scheduled to be held at 2:30 pm. “In view of the expected large gathering of advocates today, the auditorium and surrounding areas are likely to remain heavily occupied. Considering the practical difficulties in ensuring orderly movement and proper arrangements for members of the media, it has been decided to hold the press conference on Monday, 24th August, 2026, instead,” BCI Principal Secretary Srimanto Sen wrote to mediapersons.Faced with criticism over a now-withdrawn order to state Bar councils not to enrol as advocates any current batch students graduating from the NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, BCI Chairman Mishra had apologised to the law students earlier this month.The NALSAR University students had objected to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant’s proposed participation as the chief guest for their convocation.In an apology to law students on Independence Day, Mishra said recent developments had caused concern among students and expressed regret if any of his words or communications hurt their feelings. “If anything connected with the present controversy, any of my words, or letter, has hurt the feelings of our law students, I sincerely regret and apologise for the same,” he had said on Independence Day.On Saturday, condemning Mishra’s unilateral directive to all state Bar councils not to enrol the 2026 graduating batch of NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, as advocates, the Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms (CJAR) demanded his immediate resignation as the BCI Chairperson.“This move, even though withdrawn after public backlash, was utterly illegal and unconstitutional. It was an attempt at collective punishment on an entire class of students over their campaign/letter to the university’s administration to reconsider the invitation to the Chief Justice of India, as Chief Guest at the university convocation. Though the directive was withdrawn, Mishra has not expressed any real contrition for his blatantly intimidatory actions,” a CJAR statement read.