The Bar Council of India has passed a unanimous resolution against the online legal news portal ‘LiveLaw’ and its author Vikas Bhadauria for publishing an article criticizing various acts and decisions of BCI Chairperson, Manan Kumar Mishra. Reportedly, the BCI has also said that it will file a complaint with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting against the advocate for writing “malicious” and “derogatory” article against its chairman as well as the news portal for publishing it.
Bar Council of India, an apex body of lawyers regulating the legal profession has termed as “defamatory” the allegations made by advocate Vikas Bhadauria in a 1st June article against its chairman Manan Kumar Mishra, calling it a “brazen attack not only on the Chairman but, on the Bar Council of India as an Institution.”
The subject of the controversy is the article titled “Manan Kumar Mishra’s Personal and Political Battles Using BCI Chairman’s Office,” written by Vikas Bhadauria, which was published on LiveLaw on 1st June. The article referred to various statements and acts of the Chairman and stated that Mr. Manan Kumar Mishra was using his post not for the welfare of legal fraternity, but for advancing his personal and political interests.
Responding to the allegations, the resolution, passed in a meeting presided by BCI Vice-Chairman Satish A. Deshmukh, said that “It is appalling to note that ‘Live Law’ has allowed its platform to be used for a defamatory story prompted by ill-will and malice to make personal allegations against Mr. Manan Kumar Mishra, Chairman, Bar Council of India.”
“The story by Bhadauria is only scandal-mongering and vilification campaign against Mishra and we resolve to condemn and reject it with all contempt it deserves. Mishra, Chairman of Bar Council of India has never misused his position for any personal political benefit,” asserted the BCI.
It added that Bhadauria “has done cherry-picking to suit his false story and has made reference to selective portions of certain statements and communications of Mishra without giving full text and proper purport which has always been to advance the cause of the bar.” “We further resolve to make a complaint to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting against Bhadauria and the news portal for their acts of misreporting, omission and commission,” it said.
