BCI rules against one-year LLM course to operate from 2022-23, SC told

The Bar Council of India on Thursday told the Supreme Court that the decision to abolish the one-year LLM course shall come into force from the academic year 2022-23.

The Consortium of National Law Universities, led by senior advocate A M Singhvi, which challenged the validity of the BCI rules, expressed its satisfaction at the BCI chairman's statement.

It also submitted before a bench, presided over by Chief Justice S A Bobde, that no urgent order was required in their appeal to the BCI's decision.

The bench, also comprising Justices A S A Bobde and V Ramasubramanian, recorded submission made on behalf of the BCI chairman Manan Kumar Mishra and adjourned the matter for four weeks.

Earlier, the Consortium sought status quo in the matter, saying it had already received 5,000 applications for a one-year LLM course advertised in January this year.

The BCI rules, declared in January this year, mandated that the LLM degree has to be of two-year duration.

The Consortium contended that the LLM degree course comes under the UGC regulations and the BCI had power under the Advocates Act to regulate the LLB degree only.

It also pointed out that one year LLM degree was an international norm across the Universities the world over.