Chandigarh, September 7 (Daily Kiran) : Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra was sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on September 7, 2026. His appointment has sparked tensions between the Punjab government and the central administration, leading to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s absence from the ceremony.
The oath-taking event was conducted by Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria in a formal ceremony attended by High Court judges, senior officials, and members of the legal community. Haryana’s Chief Minister Naib Singh Saini and Governor Prof. Aseem Kumar Ghosh were also present.
The absence of Chief Minister Mann and his entire cabinet drew significant attention. This decision followed the cabinet’s objection to Justice Mishra’s appointment, which included a proposal demanding the postponement of the oath ceremony.
The Punjab government stated that the central administration proceeded with the appointment without waiting for the state’s input. They urged the President, Prime Minister, and Governor to delay the appointment and ceremony, claiming the established consultation process had not been followed.
In contrast, the central government asserted that the appointment of the Chief Justice is carried out according to a “memorandum of procedure” and does not require state government consent.
The Supreme Court Collegium, led by the Chief Justice of India at the time, recommended Justice Mishra’s appointment on August 6. This move has ignited a political and constitutional dispute, as the Punjab government publicly questioned the appointment process. Following the cabinet’s proposal against the appointment, Chief Minister Mann chose to boycott the ceremony.
Justice Mishra has been serving as the acting Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court since June 2, after the promotion of Chief Justice Shil Nagu to the Supreme Court. He was transferred from the Allahabad High Court to the Punjab and Haryana High Court in July 2025. This situation has added a new layer of tension to the already strained relationship between the Aam Aadmi Party government and the BJP-led central government.
Born on November 16, 1968, Justice Mishra earned a BA (Honors) in Economics from Kirori Mal College, Delhi University, and an LLB from the Campus Law Centre, Delhi University. He was appointed as an additional judge of the Allahabad High Court on February 3, 2014, and became a permanent judge on February 1, 2016, serving until his transfer to the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Leave a Comment