Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra Appointed Acting Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court

New Delhi, June 1: President Droupadi Murmu has appointed Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra, a sitting judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, as the Acting Chief Justice.

According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice, “In exercise of the powers conferred by Article 223 of the Constitution of India, Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra has been appointed as the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court following the appointment of Justice Shil Nagoo as a judge of the Supreme Court.”

This appointment comes after the promotion of Justice Shil Nagoo to the Supreme Court, which left the position of Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court vacant. Under the constitutional framework, the appointment of an Acting Chief Justice became necessary.

Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra took charge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on July 21, 2025, after being transferred from the Allahabad High Court. Born on November 16, 1968, he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Economics (Honors) from Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi, and obtained his LLB from the Campus Law Centre, University of Delhi.

He registered as an advocate on May 8, 1993, primarily practicing in civil, constitutional, and service law. Justice Mishra has represented several statutory and public bodies, including the Noida and Ghaziabad Development Authorities, IFFCO, Indian Oil Corporation, and the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation. He has also represented the state government in significant cases as a senior advocate.

In 2013, he was designated as a senior advocate. He took oath as an additional judge of the Allahabad High Court on February 3, 2014, and became a permanent judge on February 1, 2016. He served in the Allahabad High Court until July 20, 2025, after which he was transferred to the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Justice Mishra’s bench is noted for its ruling in the 2005-2006 Nithari murder case. As a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, he has issued stringent orders against illegal mining and delivered landmark judgments in service and constitutional matters.

–