BCI forbids private law universities from using 'India', 'National', 'Bharatiya' in moot court competitions

The BCI observed that in recent years, many institutions have increasingly used terms like "National," "India," "Indian," "Bharat," "Bharatiya," and "Rashtriya" for legal events such as conferences, mock courts, and moot courts. These events are often referred to as "National Moot Courts" or "All India Moot Court Competitions," even though the institutions do not have the statutory authority or government approval to use such terms, according to its circular. 

BCI forbids private law universities from using 'India', 'National', 'Bharatiya' in moot court competitions

The Bar Council of India (BCI) has released a circular prohibiting usage of words like India, Indian, National, Bharat, Bhartiya and Rashtriya during moot court competitions, conferences, etc organised by private law colleges or universities. The BCI emphasised that calling these events national or all-India without the required approval is misleading and violates the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act of 1950.

"The use of 'National', 'India', 'Indian', 'Bharat', 'Bharatiya', or 'Rashtriya' in the title of an event gives it an appearance of representing the entire nation. Only statutory bodies like the BCI and institutions such as National Law Universities or government affiliated Departments of Law, which have a national mandate, can be said to have the legal standing to host such events," the BCI said in an official notification.

The BCI observed that in recent years, many institutions have increasingly used terms like "National," "India," "Indian," "Bharat," "Bharatiya," and "Rashtriya" for legal events such as conferences, mock courts, and moot courts. These events are often referred to as "National Moot Courts" or "All India Moot Court Competitions," even though the institutions do not have the statutory authority or government approval to use such terms, according to its circular.  The BCI further noted that this practice misleads participants and the public by giving a false impression that these events hold national significance or are endorsed by the government.

"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," it further said.

The BCI stated that National Law Universities (NLUs) and government institutions can use terms like "National" in their event titles if the events genuinely warrant such designation. However, they must formally notify the Central government in advance to ensure transparency and compliance, as noted in the circular.

Only events organized by the BCI, NLUs, Departments of Law within Central or State Universities, and other authorized national bodies may be referred to as "National-Level Competitions." 

The BCI has warned that unauthorized use of the terms mentioned in the circular could lead to revocation of recognition or approval by the BCI, legal action under the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950, disqualification from hosting future events, and loss of privileges granted by the BCI.

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