Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra Takes Oath as Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Amid Punjab Govt Protest

Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra was sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday, despite strong objections from the Punjab government over the process followed for his appointment.

Justice Mishra had been serving as the acting Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court since June. His appointment as the permanent Chief Justice was formally notified by the Centre on Saturday, nearly a month after the Supreme Court Collegium recommended his elevation.

The oath-taking ceremony took place amid an escalating dispute between the Punjab government and the Centre. The Bhagwant Mann-led government has alleged that its views were not adequately considered before Justice Mishra's appointment and has questioned whether established constitutional procedures were followed.

Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria administered the oath to Justice Mishra at Lok Bhawan. Haryana Governor Ashim Kumar Ghosh, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Haryana Assembly Speaker Harvinder Kalyan, Akali MLA Ganieve Kaur Majithia and Punjab Chief Secretary KAP Sinha were among those present at the ceremony.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, however, did not attend the swearing-in ceremony.

A day before Justice Mishra took oath, the Punjab Cabinet passed a resolution urging the Centre to halt the administration of the oath until the concerns raised by the state government were addressed. The emergency Cabinet meeting was convened following the Centre's decision to proceed with the appointment.

In its official statement, the Punjab Cabinet said the appointment and oath-taking process should be put on hold until the state government's views were obtained and duly considered. The Cabinet also accused the Centre of bypassing Punjab's constitutional rights and established procedures.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also wrote separately to President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, raising objections to the process surrounding Justice Mishra's appointment.

The Punjab government has maintained that the appointment was finalised without waiting for its views.

Meanwhile, Additional Solicitor General of India Satya Pal Jain rejected the concerns raised by the Punjab government, describing the controversy as unfortunate and unnecessary. He maintained that the state government had been given sufficient time to communicate its position.

With the oath-taking ceremony now complete, Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra has formally assumed charge as the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, even as the Punjab government continues to challenge the process that led to his appointment.