Bombay HC Dismisses PIL Against Mumbai University's Law College Intake Cut, Imposes ₹1 Lakh Costs

Mumbai, July 30, 2026: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the University of Mumbai's decision to reduce the intake capacity of students in several affiliated law colleges, holding that the petition was not a genuine public interest case.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad imposed costs of Rs 1 lakh on the petitioner, Lawyers' Foundation, directing it to deposit the amount within 30 days.

Court Questions PIL's Maintainability

The PIL questioned the University's decision to reduce by 50 per cent the intake for three-year and five-year LLB courses in around 45 law colleges for the 2026-27 academic year. The petitioner argued that the University had taken the decision despite proposals submitted by the colleges.

During the hearing, the bench repeatedly questioned the maintainability of the petition, observing that academic matters could not be challenged by a lawyers' body.

"You are nobody to question this. These are academic affairs. Your lawyers' body is put forth by the educational institution," the court remarked.

The Court also questioned how the petitioner had obtained the information mentioned in the plea, including certain confidential details related to a college.

The Court said the University appeared to have taken a lenient stand, as it noticed that one of the law colleges, Rizvi College of Law, was operating without any approved faculty.

Court Flags Rizvi Law College

Specific to Rizvi College of Law, Mumbai University's advocate Rui Rodrigues submitted that it did not have an approved principal, an in-charge principal or even a single approved faculty member.

The bench said it was surprised that the University had acted "leniently". "When there is not a single approved principal or faculty teacher, it is anybody's guess what must be the academic atmosphere in such a college," the court observed.

The bench further said that the reliefs sought in the PIL clearly indicated that it was intended to challenge the University's action against Rizvi College, even though the college itself had not approached the court.

"This clearly indicates that the petitioner has been put up by the Rizvi Law College," the order said.

BCI Has Jurisdiction

The court also observed that issues concerning the functioning of law colleges fall within the jurisdiction of the Bar Council of India (BCI), adding, "It's not the University which has to deal with it. It is the BCI which has to deal with it."

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The court was irked by the petitioner's advocate's justification that the petition was not just for Rizvi College, as there were other colleges as well. "You think we don't have the skill to understand the purpose of this petition. You can't hoodwink this court," Acting Chief Justice Ghuge remarked, while dismissing the petition with costs.

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