Bhopal: Bar Council of India has fined National Law Institute University (NLIU) Rs 11 lakh for not taking recognition between 2009 and 2014. Sources said NLIU recently deposited the amount, but it indicates that the premier institute wasn't affiliated for five years.NLIU's affiliation with the council ended in 2009, say sources. The institute should have sent a request for another five-year extension six months in advance. After an institute applies, the council sends an inspection team. If they give the nod, affiliation is issued for a fee of Rs 3 lakh.NLIU did not send the request to BCI but it applied for increasing the number of seats from 80 to 120. This was approved, and NLIU officials assumed that the institute was automatically given affiliation. However, the council sent a notice to NLIU last year, pointing out that it hadn't applied for affiliation and needed to cough up Rs 14 lakh — Rs 11 lakh fine and the rest as affiliation fee."We had increased number of seats after formal permission from BCI and were under the impression that this meant recognition was also given," said a senior NLIU official. Outgoing in-charge registrar Ravi Pandey told TOI it had happened "due to some confusion". "The issue was resolved. It was only a confusion and no more," said Pandey.It was only on Thursday that students called off a weeklong agitation against alleged maladministration on campus. "It was strange such incidents took place due to 'confusion'. These lapses must be checked. We hope new registrar Giribala Singh will improve our condition," said a student, pointing out that the Rs 11 lakh NLIU paid as fine could have been used for campus development.

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