Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra Sworn In as 37th Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court Amid Political Opposition

Overriding formal objections raised by the Punjab Government, Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra was sworn in on Monday as the 37th Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He succeeds Justice Sheel Nagu in the post. Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria administered the oath of office to Chief Justice Mishra during a ceremony held at Punjab Raj Bhavan. The swearing-in proceeded despite explicit resistance from the state cabinet. On Sunday, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann convened an emergency cabinet meeting that passed a formal resolution opposing Justice Mishra's appointment. The resolution urged the Central Government to defer the oath-taking ceremony until the required consent process involving the Punjab Government was finalized. Reflecting the ongoing political standoff, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and representatives from the ruling party did not attend the event. Among political figures from Punjab, only Ganieve Kaur Majithia was present. The state administration was represented at the venue by Punjab Chief Secretary Sinha, the Director General of Police (DGP), and the Advocate General. In contrast, top officials from neighboring Haryana attended the swearing-in ceremony, including Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and Governor Prof. Aseem Kumar Ghosh.