The CLAT 2026 4th merit list postponed was done by the Consortium of National Law Universities. After the CLAT 2026 third merit list, students were eagerly waiting for the CLAT 2026 fourth merit list but it has now been delayed because of a case going on in the Allahabad High Court. This case is called Special Appeal No. 135 Of 2026. The Allahabad Hight court will give it’s judgement on May 8 2026. The counselling process will probably start again after the court’s judgement.
Important Notice: The seats that students got in the second and third rounds of the CLAT 2026 are still theirs. The CLAT 2026 seats that were confirmed in these rounds are not affected.
Why Is the CLAT 2026 4th Merit List Delayed?
The delay in the CLAT 2026 Merit List is primarily caused by court case that has been going on for more than three months. The case is regarding the issue in Question No. 91 In Booklet A and Question No. 9 In Booklet C from the Logical Reasoning part of the CLAT 2026 exam.
An Expert Committee set up by the Consortium said that both options B and D were correct for this question. The Oversight Committee disagreed and no particular reason was provided.
The Allahabad High Court directed the Consortium to accept both options as correct and update the CLAT 2026 UG merit list after a judge at the court thought this was unfair.
The Consortium later challenged this decision to the Division Bench. The Judgement will be announced on May 8, 2026 as the Division Bench heard all arguments and reserved its judgment on April 29, 2026.
Until then the CLAT 2026 4th Merit List will not be released. The Consortium is waiting for the court’s decision, on the CLAT 2026 exam.
Timeline: CLAT 2026 4th Merit List Postponed — What Happened When
| Date | Event |
| 7th December, 2025 | The CLAT 2026 examination for UG students was held in offline mode. |
| 16th December, 2025 | The CLAT 2026 UG merit list was published by the Consortium of NLUs |
| 7th January, 2026 | First round of merit list was announced by the consortium and counselling process started |
| 22nd January, 2026 | Second merit list published; a petition was filed in the Allahabad High Court by candidate Avneesh Gupta regarding a disputed question. |
| 5th February, 2026 | Release of the third merit list was put on hold after a Single Judge ordered revision of results; the Consortium filed a Special Appeal. |
| 20th February, 2026 | The Consortium of NLUs were permitted to proceed with the third list after a Division Bench issued a stay order |
| 25th February, 2026 | Third merit list was released by the consortium |
| 29th April, 2026 | The Judgement was reserved after final arguments were heard by the Division Bench |
| 2nd May, 2026 | Fourth merit was list postponed by the Consortium of NLUs due to the pending Allahabad High Court decision in its notice. |
What Does the CLAT 2026 4th Merit List Postponement Mean for Students?
Confirmed seats
The Consortium has clearly stated that seats confirmed in rounds of CLAT 2026 by the aspirants will not be changed.
Aspirants still waiting for seat allotment in CLAT 2026 have to wait.
If you have not yet been allotted a seat or were waiting for an upgrade in Round 4 of CLAT your participation depends on the outcome of the May 8 verdict.
There are two scenarios for CLAT counselling:
- If the court upholds the Consortiums of NLUs CLAT merit list, Round 4 counselling will proceed with the existing CLAT rankings.
- If the court orders a revision, a fresh CLAT merit list will be published. Round 4 will proceed on revised CLAT rankings.
In either case the CLAT counselling will resume once the verdict is delivered.
Will the 5th Merit List date change?
The CLAT 2026 5th merit list was scheduled for May 15 2026. Given the postponement of CLAT 2026 4th Merit list, there is high probability that the Round 5 date are likely to be revised. Candidates should make sure to check the Consortium website at consortiumofnlus.ac.in for the most recent updates on CLAT counselling schedule.
What to do now:
Keep your documents ready for CLAT, log in to consortiumofnlus.ac.in regularly for updates on CLAT, Note May 8 2026 as the key date for CLAT. The Consortium will publish a CLAT counselling schedule on its official portal once the court delivers its verdict, on CLAT.
How to Check the CLAT 2026 4th Merit List (Once Released)
After the court takes it ‘s decision and the 4th merit list is published by the Consortiums, you can check your seat allotment by following these below mentioned steps:
Step 1: Go to the official website — consortiumofnlus.ac.in
Step 2: Sign in using your registered mobile number and password
Step 3: Navigate to the “Allotment Status” section on your dashboard
Step 4: Provisional Allotment Letter should be download in PDF format
Step 5: Make sure to confirm your allotted seat or opt for an upgrade within the given deadline
Also Read
→ CLAT 2026 Third Merit List: Cut-offs, Seat Allotment & Key Dates
→ CLAT 2026 Counselling Schedule: Round-wise Dates & Fee Payment
→ CLAT 2026 NLU Cut-offs: Category-wise Expected Rankings
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has the CLAT 2026 4th Merit List been postponed?
The Consortium of NLUs has postponed the 4th allotment round due to a pending judgment in Special Appeal No. 135 of 2026 before the Division Bench of the Allahabad High Court. The verdict is expected on May 8, 2026
When will the CLAT 2026 4th Merit List be released?
No revised date has been officially announced. The Consortium has stated that an updated CLAT counselling schedule will be published on consortiumofnlus.ac.in after the Allahabad HC delivers its verdict on May 8, 2026.
Are seats allotted in Rounds 1, 2, and 3 safe?
Yes. The Consortium has confirmed that seats already confirmed in the first three rounds will not be disturbed, regardless of the court's decision.
What is the disputed question at the centre of this case?
The controversy involves Question No. 91 in Booklet A (Question No. 9 in Booklet C) from the Logical Reasoning section. An Expert Committee found both options B and D to be correct, but the Oversight Committee rejected this finding. The Single Judge of the Allahabad HC ruled the rejection "arbitrary" and ordered a revision.
Where can I check the CLAT 2026 4th Merit List once it is released?
The official CLAT counselling portal is consortiumofnlus.ac.in. Candidates must log in with their registered mobile number and password, and navigate to the "Allotment Status" section to check and download their provisional allotment letter.