BCI Members Seek Disclosure of PEARL-FIRST Trust and AIBE Finances, Oppose Proposed Trustee Resolution

Three members of the Bar Council of India have opposed a proposed resolution concerning the management structure of the PEARL-FIRST Trust and called for fuller disclosure of the trust's deed, finances and functioning before structural changes are approved.

Background

The proposal circulated by BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra would remove the category of Permanent Managing Trustees and provide that managing trustees must be serving BCI members whose trustee tenure ends with their Council membership.

Legal issue and Court's reasoning

The controversy follows questions raised by the Supreme Court earlier this month about provisions allowing BCI office-bearers to continue as permanent trustees after their elected tenure in the statutory body ends.

The dissenting members have asked the Council to examine the trust's governance history and compare it with the older BCI trust model, under which trustees ceased to hold office when they were no longer Council members.

Result and practical consequence

They have also sought disclosure concerning finances of BCI-linked legal-education institutions and AIBE-related funds.

The matter remains an internal governance dispute within the statutory regulator; the proposed resolution and the members' objections have not themselves determined the legality of the trust structure.