The Kerala High Court on Monday, June 22, 2026, closed the writ petition challenging the absence of Bar Council of India (BCI) affiliation for courses offered by Government Law College (GLC), Kozhikode, after the BCI granted the institution a six-month provisional affiliation.
Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas, presiding over the final hearing, held that the petitioner’s grievance stood redressed following BCI’s grant of provisional recognition, according to Bar & Bench.
Background: How We Got Here
The writ petition was filed by Muhammed Anwar Saidu, an Idukki-based advocate and graduate of GLC Kozhikode, in the case styled Muhammed Anwar Saidu v. Bar Council of India & Ors.
The petitioner discovered that his BBA LLB (Hons) degree had been treated as ‘unqualified’ by Canada’s National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) because GLC Kozhikode’s BCI approval had lapsed after the academic year 2011, as reported by Bar & Bench and 24law.in.
- BCI approval for GLC Kozhikode’s five-year integrated course was valid only up to the academic year 2011, according to the official BCI approval list. The college continued admitting students under University of Calicut affiliation through the Kerala Law Entrance Examination despite the lapse.
- BCI had placed responsibility for the affiliation gap on the college, stating GLC Kozhikode failed to submit mandatory compliance reports after 2011 and did not remit prescribed fees in time. The college, however, claimed it had repeatedly sought renewal from 2012 onwards.
- A BCI inspection team visited the GLC Kozhikode campus in 2016, but no formal affiliation was granted following that inspection, per 24law.in.
Earlier hearings were presided over by Justice V.G. Arun, who orally remarked: “This has to be corrected. Otherwise a lot of lawyers and many judicial officers will be in trouble.”
On November 11, 2025, the Kerala High Court sought BCI’s response to the petition. On December 4, 2025, GLC Kozhikode filed a statement disclosing that the Government Law Colleges at Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram, along with several other legal education institutions in Kerala, similarly lacked valid BCI affiliation, according to LiveLaw and Bar & Bench.
In January 2025, BCI directed GLC Kozhikode to remit Rs. 18.5 lakh as a default fee and Rs. 5 lakh as a guarantee fee. The college had also previously remitted over Rs. 24 lakh toward inspection charges, per 24law.in.
On December 19, 2025, the Court directed the GLC’s principal to file a compliance report by January 5, 2026. The matter was ultimately resolved by June 2026 after the college cleared all pending dues and fulfilled BCI’s conditions.
The Ruling — Key Findings
Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas closed the writ petition after the BCI submitted to the Court that GLC Kozhikode had cleared its defaulted payments and complied with all conditions stipulated for the grant of provisional affiliation, as reported by Bar & Bench.
The BCI further submitted that the provisional affiliation would continue as long as the college maintained the standards of legal education as required by law.
Justice Thomas observed: “Since the provisional affiliation is already issued and the compliance of conditions for continuance of affiliation is a matter that has to be complied with by the 3rd respondent, I am of the view that the grievance in the writ petition stands redressed.”
The Court also issued a specific direction, adding: “Needless to mention, the 3rd respondent [Principal] shall take steps to continue the affiliation and obtain regular affiliation without undue delay.”
The petition had invoked Article 19(1)(g) read with Article 19(6) of the Constitution of India, concerning the right to practice a profession, and alleged violation of Section 24 of the Advocates Act, 1961, by the Bar Council of Kerala for enrolling GLC Kozhikode graduates despite the lapsed BCI recognition.
Reactions & What’s Next
The Court’s closure of the petition brings immediate relief to current and former students of GLC Kozhikode whose degrees risked being treated as unqualified for purposes of bar admission or international accreditation.
However, the six-month provisional affiliation means the college must continue to maintain BCI’s required standards of legal education and pursue regular, permanent affiliation without delay — a condition the Court made explicit in its final order, according to Bar & Bench and LiveLaw.
The broader concern flagged during proceedings — that the Government Law Colleges at Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram, and several other Kerala institutions, also lack valid BCI affiliation — remains unresolved and may prompt further legal or regulatory action.
Full coverage: Bar & Bench. More legal news at The Courtroom.
Why did GLC Kozhikode lose its BCI affiliation in the first place?
According to Bar & Bench, BCI stated that GLC Kozhikode did not submit mandatory compliance reports after the expiry of its initial approval in 2011 and failed to remit prescribed fees in a timely manner. A BCI inspection team visited in 2016, but no formal affiliation was granted thereafter.
What triggered the Kerala High Court petition on GLC Kozhikode’s BCI affiliation?
The petition was filed by Muhammed Anwar Saidu, a GLC Kozhikode graduate and Idukki-based advocate, after Canada’s National Committee on Accreditation treated his BBA LLB (Hons) degree as ‘unqualified’ because GLC Kozhikode’s BCI approval had lapsed after 2011, as reported by Bar & Bench.
What fees did GLC Kozhikode pay to secure provisional BCI affiliation?
As directed by BCI in January 2025, GLC Kozhikode paid Rs. 18.5 lakh as a default fee and Rs. 5 lakh as a guarantee fee. The college had also previously remitted over Rs. 24 lakh toward inspection charges, per 24law.in.
Disclaimer
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws may change or vary by case — consult a qualified lawyer before acting. The Courtroom is not liable for any reliance on this content.
