Chandigarh: Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra was sworn in as Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Monday amid an unprecedented standoff between the Punjab government and the Centre over his appointment.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was conspicuous by his absence from the brief swearing-in ceremony held at Raj Bhawan here.
Punjab governor Gulab Chand Kataria administered the oath to Justice Mishra in the presence of Haryana governor Prof Ashim Kumar Ghosh and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini. An empty chair on which the Punjab Chief Minister was supposed to sit marked the ongoing sharp confrontation between the Punjab government and the Centre over Justice Mishra’s appointment. The oath ceremony, however, was conducted by Punjab chief secretary K. A. P. Sinha.
The Punjab cabinet held an emergent meeting Sunday to resolve the issue of Justice Mishra’s appointment and decided the administration of oath should be put on hold till the Punjab government had given its views on his appointment, a procedural requirement which, according to the Punjab cabinet, the Centre had not fulfilled in this case.
In a statement issued following the cabinet meeting, Mann sought to place the dispute within a wider narrative of the Centre allegedly ignoring Punjab’s interests. The chief minister linked Justice Mishra’s appointment with other contentious issues, including Punjab’s demand for release of the Rural Development Fund and its demands for greater central assistance following the floods.
However what appeared primarily to be a dispute over administrative procedure acquired a considerably more serious institutional dimension with the Opposition framing the controversy as an attempt by the government to encroach upon the independence of the judiciary and a “lowly bid” to preempt possible adverse orders from the high court.
BJP national office in-charge and Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Chugh told mediapersons Sunday that this was a planned conspiracy. “It’s all well thought out by them. The idea is to defame the judiciary so that the government can work on a narrative that the judiciary is biased against them when issues like corruption and giving dearness allowance to employees come up in the court,” he said.
“They already know what the procedure is. Arvind Kejriwal has remained an officer. It’s a deeper conspiracy to preempt what the judiciary might do in the multiple cases of corruption,” said Chugh.
— Tarun Chugh (@tarunchughbjp) September 7, 2026
Shiromani Akali Dal General Secretary Dr Daljit Cheema said any attempt by the executive to question or influence judicial appointments undermines the independence of the judiciary and the constitutional separation of powers.
“The High Court has delivered several strong judgments against the Punjab government, while matters concerning alleged corruption in the highest offices are reaching a crucial stage. At such a juncture, creating controversy around the judiciary raises serious questions about the government’s intentions,” he wrote on X.
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann’s objections to the appointment of Justice Ashwani Misra as Chief Justice of the Punjab & Haryana High Court are deeply concerning and must be condemned in the strongest terms. Any attempt by the executive to question or influence judicial appointments… pic.twitter.com/UO63Z5pB0T
— Dr Daljit S Cheema (@drcheemasad) September 6, 2026
Senior Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia said the AAP government had already tried to “eliminate the Opposition, crush the press, keep only puppet media, and use the police as servants.”
“Now only one institution remained: The judiciary. Is that beginning to trouble you too? Passing a resolution against the appointment of the Chief Justice is not a resolution. It is a direct threat to the judiciary! Do you want to intimidate judges and cover up your corruption and scams?” Majithia questioned on X.
👉 Listen, Guru Dokhi!
👉 Trying to eliminate the Opposition, crush the press, keep only puppet media, and use the police as your servants!
👉 Now only one institution remained: the judiciary. Is that beginning to trouble you too?
👉 Passing a resolution against the… pic.twitter.com/hsvEhJFj8s
— Bikram Singh Majithia (@bsmajithia) September 6, 2026
Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said what was happening was quite unprecedented. “A state government is objecting to and opposing the appointment of the Chief Justice of the state high court. AAP Punjab has achieved yet another dubious distinction of doing that… Does the AAP want a judiciary of its own choice?”
This is quite unprecedented that a state government is objecting to and opposing the appointment of the Chief Justice of the state High Court. @AAPPunjab has achieved yet another dubious distinction of doing that.
What does the AAP government want to convey with this stand?…
— Amarinder Singh Raja Warring (@RajaBrar_INC) September 7, 2026
Punjab cabinet’s opposition to Justice Mishra as chief justice comes at a time when matters of vital political significance are before the high court. With barely six months to go before Punjab Assembly elections, the outcome of these cases could have a decisive impact on the elections.
Justice Mishra, who took over as acting chief justice in the high court in June headed the Bench that recently directed the Punjab government to clear thousands of crores in pending dearness allowance and dearness relief to employees and pensioners—an order that the state has challenged in the Supreme Court.
He also barred the government from indulging in “unnecessary” expenditure of issuing advertisements till the allowances to the employees were paid.
At the same time, other politically sensitive cases are pending before the high court, including matters concerning allegations of demands of illegal gratification by relatives of the Punjab chief minister’s wife and alleged corruption by Punjab government officials linked to the CMO.
One such case filed as a public interest litigation by advocate Nikhil Saraf has sought investigation by the CBI into alleged “large-scale and institutionalised corruption” by government officials in “cahoots” with private persons—information about which had already been gathered by the Enforcement Directorate.
Two separate cases related to allegations of rape and its cover-up filed by the victim and the accused are also before the high court. Both the victim and the accused have told the court that a close relative of the chief minister’s wife was interfering in the investigation of the case demanding crores of rupees to settle the matter.
Senior Congressman and Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, while congratulating the chief justice, said the “court has time and again shown the Punjab Government the mirror and stood firm for justice and the rights of Punjabis from the DA case to the PIL filed by Nikhil Saraf.”
“Attempts to intimidate or undermine the judiciary must stop. The judiciary must remain independent, fearless and committed to justice,” he posted on X.
Congratulations to Hon’ble Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra on taking oath today as the Chief Justice of the Punjab & Haryana High Court.
The Court has time and again shown the Punjab Government the mirror and stood firm for justice and the rights of Punjabis from the DA case to the…
— Partap Singh Bajwa (@Partap_Sbajwa) September 7, 2026
Congress MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa questioned the timing of the objection raised by the Punjab government.
“The timing is telling,” he wrote on X. “Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra’s Bench tells the Punjab Government: Pay the DA owed to your employees and stop wasting public money on large-scale advertising. Days later, the Aam Aadmi Party Government moves to oppose his elevation as Chief Justice. If a government starts treating an inconvenient judicial order as a reason to object to the judge, we have a very serious problem.”
The timing is telling.
Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra’s Bench tells the Punjab Government: pay the DA owed to your employees and stop wasting public money on large-scale advertising.
Days later, the @AamAadmiParty Government moves to oppose his elevation as Chief Justice.
If a…
— Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa (@Sukhjinder_INC) September 6, 2026
The political atmosphere surrounding the dispute was further charged by what Mann said at a public meeting Sunday evening after the cabinet meeting. During his public address in village Gudda in Bathinda, Mann talked about the appointment of the chief justice.
“When the chief justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has to be appointed, permission has to be taken from the state government. Sandhawalia, our Punjabi judge, was made the chief justice of Madhya Pradesh (high court). But the Madhya Pradesh Government did not give permission and he was sent to Himachal Pradesh as the chief justice,” said Mann referring to Justice G. S. Sandhawalia.
The chief minister went on, “Now when the chief justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court was to be appointed, permission was sought from me. I had not even given the permission and today they have appointed him saying forget about Punjab. This means that Punjab is not important and they do not think that it is of any value.”
ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੇ ਸੰਵਿਧਾਨਕ ਹੱਕਾਂ ’ਤੇ ਡਾਕਾ ਕਿਸੇ ਕੀਮਤ ’ਤੇ ਬਰਦਾਸ਼ਤ ਨਹੀਂ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾਵੇਗਾ। ਨਿਆਂਪਾਲਿਕਾ ਵਿੱਚ ਕੇਂਦਰ ਦੀ ਇਸ ਦਖ਼ਲਅੰਦਾਜ਼ੀ ਦਾ ਅਸੀਂ ਡਟ ਕੇ ਵਿਰੋਧ ਕੀਤਾ ਹੈ। ਪੰਜਾਬੀਓ, ਇਹ ਸਮਾਂ ਇੱਕਜੁੱਟ ਹੋਣ ਦਾ ਹੈ। ਸੂਬੇ ਦੇ ਹੱਕਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਹਿੱਤਾਂ ਦੀ ਰਾਖੀ ਲਈ ਅਸੀਂ ਹਮੇਸ਼ਾ ਮੋਹਰੀ ਹੋ ਕੇ ਖੜ੍ਹੇ ਹਾਂ। pic.twitter.com/dl5BZrg0OF
— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) September 6, 2026
The chief minister speaking about the appointment of a chief justice at a public rally was severely criticised by opposition leaders, who alleged the CM appeared to be inebriated during the rally.
Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira and Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia were among those who seized on Mann’s alleged demeanour and questioned his condition.
“An intoxicated chief minister running an intoxicated government!” Majithia posted on X. “An attack on the judiciary? Will even the appointment of the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court now be decided under the influence of alcohol? Those entrusted with safeguarding democracy are being questioned by an intoxicated man. Shameful! Will the Constitution of the country now also be dictated by the whims of an intoxicated chief minister? This is not change. This is destruction, something Punjab is witnessing for the first time in 70 years!”
👉 An intoxicated Chief Minister running an intoxicated government!
👉 An attack on the judiciary?
Will even the appointment of the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court now be decided under the influence of alcohol?
👉 Those entrusted with safeguarding democracy… pic.twitter.com/K2BVWf2Rnw
— Bikram Singh Majithia (@bsmajithia) September 7, 2026
“Never seen such a duplicate shameless leader like Bhagwant Mann who in a drunken state is publicly condemning the elevation of Justice A. K. Mishra as Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court but in the same breath his government is inviting Punjab MLAs to his oath taking ceremony!”
Never seen such duplicate shameless leader like @BhagwantMann who in a drunken state is publicly condemning the elevation of Justice Ak Mishra as Chief Justice of Pb & Hry High Court but in the same breath his govt is inviting Punjab MLA’s to his oath taking ceremony !
It shows… pic.twitter.com/hdwiyhhexC
— Sukhpal Singh Khaira (@SukhpalKhaira) September 6, 2026
The allegations nevertheless carry political weight because they revive an issue that has surfaced around Mann before. Khaira had earlier alleged in the Punjab Assembly that Mann appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and had demanded an alcohol or dope test.
Khaira also posted what he claimed were instructions from the government to its cabinet ministers to attend the oath taking ceremony of the chief justice.
Majithia also questioned the presence of the Punjab chief secretary K. A. P. Sinha as the master of ceremonies at the oath taking. “Yesterday, the chief secretary is attending the cabinet meeting where the cabinet is resolving against the appointment of the honourable chief justice. And today the same chief secretary is conducting the oath ceremony?” asked Majithia in a video message Monday, claiming that the state was witnessing a “breakdown of the Constitution”.
👉 For the first time in Punjab's history, we are witnessing a breakdown of the Constitution!
👉 A High Court Chief Justice is not appointed by an inebriated Chief Minister. The appointment is made through the Supreme Court Collegium. Who will explain this to the Guru Dokhi, who… pic.twitter.com/5o9nzZFES0
— Bikram Singh Majithia (@bsmajithia) September 7, 2026
Justice Mishra, whose parent high court is the Allahabad High Court, was transferred to the Punjab and Haryana High Court in July 2025. He took over as acting chief justice on 1 June, following the elevation of his predecessor, Justice Sheel Nagu, to the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, recommended Justice Mishra’s appointment as the full-time chief justice on 6 August. The Centre notified the appointment on 5 September, completing a process that had remained pending for nearly a month.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
Also read: Punjab’s AAP govt mum on Ashwani Mishra as SC collegium’s pick for High Court Chief Justice