“The thing that BCI doesn’t operate legal education”: SC’s approach to pursuing a bachelor’s degree in law for two criminals

The Supreme Court said on Friday (March 21, 2025) that the Indian Bar Association has no matter what to receive legal education and should be left to jurists and academicians | Photo source: Reuters

The Supreme Court said on Friday (March 21, 2025) that the Indian Bar Association has no matter what to receive legal education, which should be left to jurists and academicians.

Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh challenged the Kerala High Court order of November 23, 2023, while dismissing the petition from the Indian Lawyer Committee, allowing two men to be convicted of murder in the trial court to actually engage in LLB courses.

Kant said: “BCI has no business entering this legal education part… Legal education should be left to jurists, legal scholars… Please have some mercy on the legal education in this country.”

The bigger problem is allowing criminals allowed to attend classes, which is contrary to UGC regulations, BCI lawyers said.

The bench asked what would happen when the High Court was acquitted and said: “Why does the BCI challenge this progressive order?”

The bench said the BCI should support the High Court order rather than adopting a “conservative” and “orthodox view.”

BCI lawyers said it was not seeking a suspension of a High Court order, but simply urging the court to consider legal issues involving the case.

The Supreme Court rejected the request and upheld the Kerala High Court order allowing two offenders to attend LLB courses through online mode in the special facts and circumstances of the case.