The Bar Council of India (BCI) has issued directions prohibiting private law universities from using terms such as "India," "Indian," "National," "Bharat," "Bhartiya," and "Rashtriya" in the titles of moot court competitions, conferences, and other legal events without statutory approval.

The circular, released on Tuesday, October 15, clarifies that the use of these terms without appropriate authorization is misleading and violates the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950.

According to the BCI, only statutory bodies like itself, National Law Universities (NLUs), and government-affiliated legal institutions are legally permitted to use these terms when hosting events of national significance. The BCI warned that private law institutions labeling their events as "National Moot Courts" or "All India Moot Court Competitions" misrepresent their standing and give an impression of official national importance.

The BCI noted that this unauthorized usage has become increasingly common and often misleads participants and the public, creating a false perception of national endorsement. Additionally, some institutions exploit this misconception to secure sponsorships by implying that their events are government-backed.

"This is misleading and creates confusion among participants and the public, suggesting that such events are of national significance and under government patronage. This false impression can distort participants' understanding of the event's stature and authority, leading them to believe that they are attending a government-sanctioned event. Moreover, the unauthorized use of these names has been observed to be misused for securing sponsorships, further exploiting the misunderstanding that such events hold official national status," the circular reads.

While National Law Universities and government institutions can continue using the terms "National" and similar words for their events, they must notify the Central government in advance to maintain compliance and transparency. The BCI emphasized that only competitions organized by recognized national bodies, such as BCI, NLUs, or Departments of Law within Central or State universities, can be legitimately referred to as "National-Level Competitions."

The BCI has further warned that institutions violating this directive could face consequences, including revocation of recognition or approval by the BCI, legal action under the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950, and disqualification from hosting future events.

Click here to read/download the Circular


Bar Council of IndiaPress Release

Sukriti Mishra