In a major development in the Indian judiciary, the Union Ministry of Law and Justice announced on Monday, June 1, 2026, the appointment of Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra as the Acting Chief Justice of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana.
The appointment, issued via an official notification (Gazette of India, Part 1 Section 2, No. K. 11019/09/2026-US.I/II), comes immediately following the elevation of the incumbent Chief Justice, Justice Sheel Nagu, to the Supreme Court of India.
“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 of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana…”
— Government of India Notification, Dated 1st June, 2026
The appointment has been made by the President of India under Article 223 of the Constitution, which empowers the President to appoint an Acting Chief Justice when the office of Chief Justice of a High Court falls vacant or when the Chief Justice is unable to perform the duties of their office.
Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra brings over three decades of legal and judicial expertise to his new role:
- Early Education & Career: Born on November 16, 1968, Justice Mishra graduated with an Honors degree in Economics from Delhi University’s Kirori Mal College, going on to earn his law degree from the Campus Law Centre, University of Delhi. He enrolled as an advocate in May 1993, specializing in civil, constitutional, and service laws.
- Judicial Career: He was designated as a Senior Advocate in 2013 and appointed as an Additional Judge of the Allahabad High Court on February 3, 2014. He became a permanent judge on February 1, 2016.
- Transfer: After serving over a decade at the Allahabad High Court, he was transferred to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, taking his oath there on July 21, 2025.
The transition comes amidst a broader reshuffling of the top echelons of the Indian judiciary. Earlier in the day, the President approved the appointment of five new judges to the Supreme Court of India, including Justice Sheel Nagu, who served as the 36th Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court since July 2024.
This cohort of five new appointees elevates the working strength of the Supreme Court to 37 judges, just one short of its newly expanded sanctioned limit of 38. Justice Nagu is scheduled to take his oath of office as a judge of the Supreme Court on June 2, 2026, marking the formal commencement of Justice Mishra’s tenure as the head of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
