New Delhi: The National Law School of India University (NLSIU) has cancelled its 34th Annual Convocation scheduled to be held on September 12, 2026, citing “unavoidable circumstances”. Students and alumni of the institute had opposed the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Bar Council of India (BCI) chairman Manan Kumar Mishra attending the ceremony.In response, NLSIU students have revealed through a ” clarificatory timeline of events” that while there was no public indication of the convocation event being cancelled, wheels were turning behind the scenes.Initially, on August 3, the students were formally invited to the convocation and a compulsory rehearsal had been scheduled on September 11.But according to the students, other developments occurred between early August and the letter dated August 27 from NLSIU saying all graduating students would be conferred their degrees “in absentia after due approvals by the governing bodies.”In early August, NALSAR University Hyderabad students had opposed CJI Kant’s presence at their convocation. In response, on August 13, Mishra, writing as BCI chairman, passed a stricture against the enrolment of the graduating batch.Kant is chancellor of NLSIU and traditionally awards degrees to graduating students at the university’s annual convocations. Mishra later withdrew the stricture and apologised after student protests snowballed.On August 15, 165 graduating students, 409 current students and 128 alumni of the NLSIU had criticised the BCI’s actions and expressed solidarity with NALSAR students and faculty through a signed statement.A NLSIU student revealed, without wishing to be identified, that on August 17, the graduating students met the CJI, who had wanted to personally understand their concerns.Thereafter, on August 23, the graduating batches were asked to vote on whether they would attend a convocation in which the CJI was present. A majority of students said they would. They had already been told that no protest would be allowed during the event itself.The poll offered the student no alternative scenario – a convocation without the CJI or students being allowed to protest were not on the table. Effectively, their only “option” was to attend a convocation with the CJI present or not have a convocation at all.But the students were assured Mishra would not be present at the convocation.Two days later, on August 25, the graduating batch was suddenly asked to release a statement to the public inviting Kant themselves. The four graduating batches went into a huddle again to discuss this new condition, which they were told had to be accepted with consensus.But in the fresh poll, a majority of the students declined to write a letter inviting the CJI. Their primary reasons were that the text of the invitation would be vetted by the university and that the absence of Mishra could not be recorded on the letter.The sudden imposition of the invitation condition was also not acceptable to the students.Finally, on August 27, the graduating batches received official intimation from the university that there would not be a convocation.Students and their families, who had been officially invited to the event on August 3, had booked their tickets in advance, said the NLSIU student.(This story has been updated at 8:37 pm on August 27 to take into account further developments.)