Chandigarh, JUNE 1 — The Central government on Monday appointed Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra as the Acting Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, filling a vacancy at the top of the state’s judiciary.
The appointment follows the elevation of incumbent Chief Justice Sheel Nagu to the Supreme Court of India. In an official notification, the Union Ministry of Law and Justice stated that the President made the temporary appointment under Article 223 of the Constitution, which governs the selection of acting chief justices when the primary office becomes vacant.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by Article 223 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra, Judge of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana, to perform the duties of the office of the Chief Justice,” the official notification read.
Justice Mishra has served at the Punjab and Haryana High Court since July 21, 2025, following a judicial transfer from the Allahabad High Court. Born on November 16, 1968, he completed an undergraduate degree in economics from Kirori Mal College before earning his law degree from the Campus Law Centre at the University of Delhi.
After enrolling as an advocate in May 1993, Mishra focused his legal career on civil, service, and constitutional litigations. He routinely represented public enterprises and statutory organizations, including the Noida authority, the Indian Oil Corporation, and the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation. He was designated a Senior Advocate in 2013.
Mishra’s career on the bench began with his appointment as an Additional Judge of the Allahabad High Court on February 3, 2014, achieving permanent status on February 1, 2016. During his tenure in Allahabad, his bench notably delivered the verdict in the high-profile 2005-2006 Nithari serial killings case. Since moving to his current posting, his courtroom has issued strict enforcement orders against illegal mining operations along with multiple landmark rulings on service law matters.
